The Australian government’s upcoming ban on teen access to social media platforms has raised significant privacy concerns, particularly regarding the handling of biometric data. Privacy expert John Pane, who recently resigned from the government’s advisory board, warned that the measures could lead to the harvesting of sensitive personal information by major technology companies. This ban is set to take effect on December 10, 2023.
Pane, chair of Electronic Frontiers Australia, criticized the findings of a trial report released on Sunday. He highlighted serious flaws in the age verification technology being proposed, which he claims could result in excessive data collection. The report indicates that social media platforms are preparing to comply with the new laws by potentially employing facial recognition technology and other methods that may infringe on user privacy.
The new regulations require social media companies to verify users’ ages without mandating government-issued identification, such as passports or driver’s licenses. Instead, companies may resort to scanning users’ faces or gathering contextual information, such as the duration of a user’s account. Pane expressed concern that such practices could endanger the privacy of millions of Australians, particularly if biometric data is mishandled or breached.
Minister for Communications Anika Wells emphasized the government’s commitment to addressing social media harms and pointed to the report as evidence that companies possess the capability to verify ages in a manner that is both “private and effective.” She noted that the next focus would be on tackling AI deepfake applications to prevent the exploitation of minors.
Despite the positive framing of the report by Wells, Pane argued that it merely provided the government with a convenient narrative while overshadowing significant privacy risks. He criticized the trial’s findings, which he described as indicative of a “surveillance-level response” to all users, suggesting that platforms are developing systems that could reconstruct full user identities. This approach significantly undermines existing data protection measures.
Pane’s resignation reflects a broader concern about the lack of privacy expertise within government advisory boards. He believes that the potential compromises to user privacy have not been given the attention they deserve. The trial findings indicate that the collection and storage of biometric data may create persistent vulnerabilities, exposing sensitive material to potential breaches.
As Australia moves towards implementing these new regulations, the balance between ensuring safety for young users and protecting individual privacy remains a contentious issue. The implications of the social media age verification strategies will be closely monitored as they unfold.
