Australia's Mandatory Online Age Verification: A Privacy vs. Safety Showdown

Australia is set to implement unprecedented mandatory online age verification, starting with search engines. Using technology similar to the teen social media ban, Google and Microsoft will filter search results for users under 18 to limit access to harmful content. Experts warn this could compromise privacy and may not effectively protect young people. Seven age verification methods are offered, but government tests showed inaccuracies, and VPNs can easily circumvent the system. The changes largely went unnoticed, raising concerns about government transparency and public engagement. Debate now centers on whether this will extend to other internet sectors, potentially leading to mandatory age verification becoming the norm.