Australian Government Completes Study on Age Verification Technologies

Published SEP 1 2025

Story

Above: An age-verification login screen on a mobile device. Image credit: NurPhoto/Getty Images

The Facts

The Australian government released a report on age assurance technology trials that evaluated over 60 technologies from 48 providers to determine if users are over 16 for the upcoming social media ban. The $6.5 million trial was conducted by the U.K.-based Age Check Certification Scheme and included 28,514 facial age estimation tests across Australia.
The Conversation
The West Australian
BBC News
The report found that age estimation technology has a margin of error of 1.3 to 1.5 years on average, with errors of up to two or three years being common around the 16-year age threshold. Users aged 16 had an 8.5% chance of being estimated as underage, while those aged 17 had a 2.6% false rejection rate.
The Guardian
9News Australia
The technology showed reduced accuracy for female-presenting individuals, non-Caucasian users, and people within two to three years of the age cut-off compared to other demographic groups. The report noted that the underrepresentation of Indigenous populations, particularly First Nations and Torres Strait Islander Peoples, remained a challenge in the analysis.
9News Australia
DAWN.COM
Sky News
Social media platforms, including YouTube, TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, X and Snapchat, will be banned for children under 16 starting Dec. 10, with companies facing fines up to $49.5 million for non-compliance. The report concluded there is no one-size-fits-all solution, meaning platforms will likely need multiple age verification methods.
Silicon Republic
The Australian
The trial identified several age assurance approaches, including government ID verification, facial age estimation using AI, age inference through behavioral patterns and parental consent systems. Most facial age estimation tests took less than 40 seconds to complete, with ID-based verification described as a high-assurance method.
The Guardian
News.com.au
Privacy concerns emerged as some age assurance providers were building tools to enable data tracing and retaining full biometric or document data for all users, even when not required. The report noted these practices carry significant privacy risks and require clearer regulatory guidance to ensure proportionality.
9News Australia
The Conversation

Sources Split

LEFT

CENTER

RIGHT

ESTAB
CRIT

CENTER

PRO
ESTAB

The Spin

Narrative A

The age assurance trial proves Australia can protect children online while safeguarding privacy. Multiple effective technologies exist that can keep kids off harmful social media platforms, and the government isn't chasing perfection but meaningful protection for young Australians at a critical stage of development.

The West Australian

Narrative B

This social media ban won't work because governments lack the courage to properly regulate tech companies instead of forcing families to hand over more personal data. The focus should be on controlling social media companies directly rather than making parents and children jump through privacy-invasive hoops.

News.com.au