Australia's new mandatory age verification for search engines, set to take effect on December 27, 2025, is part of an online safety code developed by the eSafety Commissioner to supposedly protect minors from harmful content like pornography, high-impact violence, and material promoting eating disorders, when in fact it is just another part of the government's war on freedom. Below is a detailed breakdown of how the verification will work, what requires verification, whether adults over 18 are affected, and how age is determined. Expect inconvenience for the over-18 year olds, while IT savvy youth easily evade this net.
The regulations outline seven methods for search engine providers (e.g., Google, Microsoft) to verify user ages, though specific implementation details are left to the companies. These methods include:
1.Photo ID: Users may need to upload government-issued identification, such as a driver's license or passport.
2.Facial Recognition: Biometric technology could estimate age based on facial features, though this has raised concerns about accuracy and privacy.
3.Credit Card Numbers: Providing a credit card could verify age, as cards are typically issued to adults.
4.Digital ID Cards: Digital credentials, potentially linked to government systems, could be used.
5.Parental Assurance: Parents could confirm their child's age, though this is less likely for widespread use.
6.AI-Based Age Inference: Companies may use AI to estimate age based on existing user data, such as search history or account activity. This method is vague and controversial due to potential inaccuracies.
7.Third-Party Verification: Relying on external services that have already verified a user's age, though specifics on trusted third parties are unclear.
These methods align with those being tested for Australia's under-16 social media ban, which also starts in December 2025. However, the code does not mandate a specific method, leaving flexibility to providers, which has sparked concerns about consistency and effectiveness.
What Will Require Verification?Logged-In Users Only: Age verification applies only to users signed into accounts with search engine providers like Google (which dominates with over 90% of Australia's search market) or Microsoft (Bing). Users who are not logged in are exempt, but their search results will have explicit content (e.g., pornography, violence) blurred by default.
Content Filtering: For users identified as under 18, search engines must enable "safe search" at the highest setting to filter out objectionable content, including pornography, high-impact violence, and material promoting eating disorders or self-harm. This also applies to advertisements. Additionally, features like autocomplete for sexually explicit or violent terms will be disabled, and crisis helplines will be prominently displayed for related queries.
Scope of Services: The rules apply to search engine services and their integrated features (e.g., AI-powered search functions) but not standalone apps or tools outside the search interface.
Will People Over 18 Have to Verify Their Age?Yes, all Australian users logged into search engine accounts will need to provide age assurance, regardless of age. The goal is to identify users under 18 to apply content filters, but the system requires everyone to verify their age to determine who needs filtering. This has raised privacy concerns, as adults accustomed to anonymous searching may need to submit personal information like IDs or biometric data. RMIT University's Professor Lisa Given noted that users are "very worried about their privacy," particularly since age assurance could disrupt seamless access to services like Gmail or Google Drive, which are tied to Google accounts.
It's unclear whether verification will be a one-time process or required repeatedly (e.g., across devices or after logging out). This ambiguity fuels concerns about user experience and data storage. Given suggested that Australians might prefer using existing government IDs to minimise new data collection, but no final decision on implementation has been confirmed.
How Do They Know a User's Age?Search engines will rely on the seven verification methods listed above to determine age. For logged-in users, the process begins when they sign into their account. If the system flags a user as "likely to be an Australian child" (under 18), it triggers mandatory safe search settings. The exact process depends on the method chosen:
Direct Methods: Photo ID, credit card, or digital ID provide clear age data, though they require users to share sensitive information.
Biometric Estimation: Facial recognition or similar technologies estimate age but have known flaws, with error rates up to 30% in some trials, raising doubts about reliability.
AI Inference: Using behavioural data (e.g., search patterns) to guess age is less invasive but potentially inaccurate, as online activity doesn't always correlate with age.
Third-Party or Parental Verification: These methods are less defined and may be impractical for large-scale use.
The code's flexibility allows providers to choose methods, but this has drawn criticism for lacking standardisation. Critics like John Pane of Electronic Frontiers Australia argue that tech-savvy minors can bypass these systems using VPNs or other tools, as seen in early tests of the social media ban.
Additional Context and ConcernsPrivacy Risks: The requirement to submit IDs or biometric data has alarmed privacy advocates. Digital Rights Watch's Lizzie O'Sheal criticised the lack of public consultation, arguing that such significant changes to online freedom require broader debate. The Electronic Frontier Foundation called age verification systems "surveillance systems" that threaten anonymity.
Implementation Challenges: The social media ban's age verification trials have shown issues, with minors easily evading checks using VPNs or fake accounts. Similar vulnerabilities may undermine search engine verification.
Lack of Transparency: The rules were introduced quietly via regulation, not legislation, bypassing public scrutiny. eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant announced them in a National Press Club speech, prompting criticism for inadequate public engagement.
Penalties and Compliance: Non-compliance carries fines up to AUD 49.5 million (approximately USD 32.2 million) per breach, pressuring companies to act despite unclear guidelines. The code was co-developed with industry groups like the Digital Industry Group Inc., but some draft codes were rejected for being insufficiently strict.
ConclusionStarting December 27, 2025, Australians logged into Google or Microsoft accounts will face mandatory age verification to access search engines, using methods like photo ID, facial recognition, or AI inference. All users, including those over 18, must verify their age to ensure minors receive filtered results. The system aims to protect children from harmful content but raises significant privacy and effectiveness concerns. The lack of standardised methods and potential for circumvention, combined with hefty fines, creates a complex landscape for both users and providers.
Welcome to Orwell's 1984.