Age Verification on Social Media Platforms? Why Digital ID Systems Aren’t the Answer
As technology advances rapidly across various industries worldwide, governments are increasingly exploring ways to leverage these innovations for enhancing security measures while streamlining services offered by public institutions or private enterprises.
In recent developments, our Australia government has passed legislation allowing them to introduce features of digital identification systems into everyday life under seemingly benevolent pretences such as protecting children from harmful content online. (April 2024)
Last week (June 2024), they have also announced that they will be working on implementing age restrictions to ban children under the age of 15 from accessing social media.
It is no coincidence that this would logically require people having to provide their unique identifier like Digital ID to access social media platforms and other websites.
While ostensibly aimed at shielding minors’ eyes off inappropriate materials or interactions over the internet, these measures may have far-reaching consequences for personal freedoms & privacy if not carefully considered beforehand.
These Two Primary Unintended Consequences Loom Closer
Surveillance
Once implemented under a pretext like age verification on social media platforms using digital ID systems could potentially enable mass-scale monitoring of individuals by governments and private entities such as tech companies.
Privacy Invasion
The widespread use of Digital IDs may lead to an erosion of privacy rights, with sensitive personal information being accessed or misused without consent due their centralised nature within a single system accessible through various channels online/offline.
What Is Social Media?
While this may seem obvious, any online communication platform that allow communication between individuals or even groups is technically “social media”. This includes email, forums, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, X, Telegram, Chat, Skype, to name just a few.
Blocking only a single communication channel is pointless, if there are a multitude of alternatives to choose from.
So in this context, we can assume that the new measures would need to be applied to all of these services.
Age Verification & Its Limitations
Despite good intentions behind enforcing age restrictions on social media platforms and other websites catering towards younger audiences via digital ID systems; however it’s essential to recognize that programmable barriers have consistently failed at effectively stopping children from interacting digitally regardless of context.
Examples include gaming sites where underage users frequently bypass verification checks by using parents’ accounts or falsifying personal information, as well as popular social networking apps such Instagram and Facebook which can easily be accessed through lying about one’s age upon signing up.
Negative Impacts on the Elderly
Incorporating digital ID systems for enforcing online restrictions may disproportionately affect older adults who already face challenges navigating complex technology interfaces due to reduced technical literacy or physical limitations.
Seniors already struggle dealing with the ever-increasing security requirements utilised by websites and online services. Many even struggle with smartphones/tablets, assuming that they have these. If these devices are required by Digital IDs, then this will lead to further social isolation as these elderly individuals find the new systems overwhelming to use, as a result of their inability in managing such authentication processes.
Remember that “social media” includes the common online tools that the elderly have to stay connected with friends and relatives.
Folly
As concerned citizens living within an increasingly digitalized world it’s crucial to weigh potential implications before moving forward with any initiative aimed at addressing specific issues yet inadvertently compromising individual privacy & autonomy. Age verification via Digital ID systems may seem appealing initially but comes laden heavy baggage associated unintended consequences such surveillance risks, exclusionary practices affecting vulnerable populations including the elderly.
Conclusion
Before embracing these new technologies wholeheartedly we must ensure that careful consideration has been given to balancing safety measures and user rights while preserving fundamental freedoms enshrined within our constitutionally protected privacy principles.
While the statement “protecting under age children” will always win votes, in this context, it is a folly to think that government controls will do anything useful to solve the core problem.
Rather than addressing the underlying issue of encouraging responsible parenting, the measures that would have to be implemented will serve only to alienate the elderly and drive our more tech-savvy under 15 year old children, to use illegal paths to achieve their goals to stay in touch with their friends. Neither of these are good outcomes.
Let us advocate collectively against potential overreach by authorities under various pretenses like child protection – because once we start down this path there may be no turning back.