Search giant criticises AI-powered age verification system
Life
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Google has voiced concerns over the new Australian law that bans people under 16 from using social media platforms. The tech giant believes that enforcing the law will be extremely difficult and will not effectively enhance children’s online safety.
While acknowledging the government’s good intentions, Google representatives pointed to possible unintended consequences during a parliamentary hearing on online safety. They noted that relying solely on artificial intelligence and behavioural data to determine a user’s age is unreliable and insufficient.
Google also confirmed that its American counterparts were aware of the complexity of the Australian legislation and suggested that they might raise these issues during upcoming high-level meetings between Australian and US officials.
YouTube was previously exempt due to its educational value, but was recently included under the scope of the law after complaints from other tech companies. Google argues that YouTube operates more as a video-sharing platform than as a social media site.
While Google supports well-crafted legislation that complements industry efforts to protect children online, the company believes that the solution is not to deny young people access to the internet altogether. The company maintains that it is essential to provide parents with the right controls and tools to ensure a safe online experience for children.
The Australian amendment on online safety, prompted by concerns over the impact of social media on young people’s mental health, requires platforms to disable accounts of underage users by 10 December.
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