Story: When 15-year-old Emanuel Casa tested Australia’s age checking software that might be used to enforce social media bans for minors, he caught a glimpse of his future.
Six months from now on, the system can ban him from social media.
And his ability to work was shocked:
“Some of them are like 14 years, like they are pretty, while others are like 16.087654, like a bunch of decimal numbers, but yes.”
Starting in December, social media companies such as Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat and Tiktok could face fines of more than $30 million if they don’t take “reasonable steps” to block Australian underage users.
This is an effort to protect the physical and mental health of young users.
These platforms currently require at least 13 users to register.
The country is now trying photo-based age checking software to help enforce new laws.
Charlie Price, 14, also participated in a trial that tested four software options with 60 peers, who were at the right age.
But this is not foolproof.
“Most of mine are accurate, I have a few friends, one of them said they are like in their 20s, so it’s a bit here and there, but mine is usually a bit.”
Price said he would not try to resolve the ban, but he thinks others might.
“So it's hard to solve this when I'm at the right age. It's like I got my age wrong somehow and I can solve this problem, but if my age isn't wrong, I can't find my ability.”
His experience highlights key concerns for child protection advocates, tech companies and even trial organizers:
Even if the software runs in trials, young people may find ways to bypass real-life.
Andrew Hammond, general manager of tech contractor KJR, helped with the trial, said the software worked, but wasn't perfect and could be fooled.
“I mean, my personal opinion is. Yes. I'm the father of three daughters, who are over 16 now, but we live on social media, and we use social media with my eldest daughter and then the two younger people go through more common places, so I think, I think it's not a case, I think it's a case, I think it's a case, but I think it's a case, but I think it's a case, but I think it's a case, but I think it's a case, but I think it's a case, but I think it's a case, but I think it's a case, but I think it's a case, but I think it's a case, but I think it's a case, but I think it's a case, but I think it's a case, but I think it's a case, but I think it's a case, but I think it's a case, but I think it's a case. The right direction.”
Trial organizers, including Hammond, do not recommend using specific products, but will submit the findings on June 20 and provide a full report to the government by the end of July.
This will help the country's Esafety Commissioner advises ministers that they want to reduce risks such as cyberbullying and harmful online content.
