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Australia is introducing age checks for search engines like Google

abc.net.au

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Re: Australia is introducing age checks for search engines like Google

#21

Post by RpFLCL »

I think it's telling that this is happening via "policies" instead of laws, because almost nobody cares or wants it.

It's also telling that Google and Microsoft aren't in opposition to this new burden, they're giving quiet yet full support. This will *necessarily* entrench the big players through the burden to implement, make it easier to track individuals across different accounts and services, and endanger the privacy and anonymity of all adults in Australia. And I think that's all the goal.

If they cared about protecting kids they'd focus on resources and campaigns to educate parents on using parental controls. Then parents could decide if they care to block these things in their homes. It should be up to them.

The "you can just log out" loophole, that's just boiling the frog slowly. It would be foolish to think that will stay around.

Re: Australia is introducing age checks for search engines like Google

#22

Post by BLKNSLVR »

ghssds wrote: post #7

What about Yandex? If I wanted to see porn, I'd go to Yandex, not Bing or Google, because Yandex is the superior search engine for that kind of thing. If Yandex is unaffected, this age check is useless. What about Marginalia? A small operation like Marginalia, if affected, may not have the ressource to implement age check. Is this some kind of regulation capture scheme? Why don't you just shove a leash up my ass?

Devil's advocate position:

If you can shepherd the majority, or at least a larger percentage, then the leaks can be ignored (until they get too big, at which time then consider changes and tweaks).

For the likes of us on HN bypassing these things is a bodily function, however I believe there's a large cohort "out there" for whom it could be a bridge too far. Eg. I doubt too many degrees of separation outside of HN even know of the existence of Marginalia.

Having said that, the existence and purpose of a VPN is probably pretty well spread "out there in the world".

(ignoring the effectiveness of the topic of this thread).

Re: Australia is introducing age checks for search engines like Google

#24

Post by ggm »

In full expectation of being downvoted, I would like to say here that I think the comments below show an astonishing lack of awareness about how most ordinary australians feel about the risks to children online. I believe most australians vox-popped in the street would say they expect the government to do this.

I'm not for a minute saying either the current government, or any past government is either competent or capable of implementing protections which actually work. I am solely saying, these intentions will probably be popular with a lot of parents, and very possibly electorally popular as well, and will be unopposed by the opposition, unless they take a "not going far enough" position.

The Australian Privacy Commissioner, and the CSIRO made substantive submissions to the government regarding use of trusted third parties and homomorphic encryption. I have some doubt the government is interested in listening, but the fact remains there are technologies which can identify you, do KYC 100 points, and not reveal who you are, or where you are going, to the government who issues the ID.

Like many others I've had my google account in continuous use, demonstrated to google through use of things like passkeys and 2FA, for over 20 years. I struggle to think of how most people with a gmail account have not functionally identified themselves to google (most: by no means all)

Re: Australia is introducing age checks for search engines like Google

#25

Post by [deleted] »

dottjt wrote: post #20
dav43 wrote: post #14

Australian politics is very much in favour of throwing around a lot of Red herrings. Eg get the conversation, media and public focussed on unimportant issues as a way to distract from the fact they are incompetent to deal with big issues. Grew up in NSW for 25 years. Nothing has changed. A few extra toll roads.

I would refrain from referring to it as incompetence, as I feel that ignores the true nature of the system. The problem is that the Australian political system needs to appease to the centre. That's how parties get into power. As long as that's the case, it doesn't leave a whole lot of room to meaningfully tackle the problems plaguing the country (in particular, housing).

[deleted]

Re: Australia is introducing age checks for search engines like Google

#26

Post by axolttl88 »

dottjt wrote: post #20
dav43 wrote: post #14

Australian politics is very much in favour of throwing around a lot of Red herrings. Eg get the conversation, media and public focussed on unimportant issues as a way to distract from the fact they are incompetent to deal with big issues. Grew up in NSW for 25 years. Nothing has changed. A few extra toll roads.

I would refrain from referring to it as incompetence, as I feel that ignores the true nature of the system. The problem is that the Australian political system needs to appease to the centre. That's how parties get into power. As long as that's the case, it doesn't leave a whole lot of room to meaningfully tackle the problems plaguing the country (in particular, housing).

Your point about not tackling the hardest challenges is well made. However the benefit of needing to appeal to the political Centre (a factor of compulsory voting) is that Australia also avoids the crazy swings and debilitating division of left and right that other nations can face.

Re: Australia is introducing age checks for search engines like Google

#27

Post by BLKNSLVR »

bigger_cheese wrote: post #18
simmo9000 wrote: post #10

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Australia has "the vote" for that.

In my opinion the most likely way it gets torpedoed is by Trump threatening the Aus Gov over trying to regulate US Tech companies. Feels like Albanese is walking on eggshells at the moment trying to get Trump not to cancel AUKUS, not ramp up tarrifs etc.

I think Australia should go back to the French submarine deal and fuck the AUKUS thing out the window.

Opinion mostly based on this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Px9qhDGv300&t=688s (and, of course, the US now being essentially a rogue state, and it'll take significant structural change to fix that).

Re: Australia is introducing age checks for search engines like Google

#28

Post by __d »

Anyone who cares will ask their mates at school, who will assist them to set up a VPN and thus circumvent this silliness. Then the same people who've pushed this solution to their perceived problem will start to target VPNs.

The real question is whether they then attempt to ban VPNs. The streamers would likely join in on that, which might be sufficient lobbying for the government to accept it?

Fortunately, my 12yo was born on 1 Jan 1970, just like their parents.

Re: Australia is introducing age checks for search engines like Google

#29

Post by jaza »

Sounds like Australian kids will just use private / incognito browser windows (aka porn mode) even more than they do already. I fail to see what this new "policy" will achieve, apart from my above point, plus serving as an excuse for Google and pals to subject users to ever more facial recognition and to brazenly collect ever more personal data.

Re: Australia is introducing age checks for search engines like Google

#30

Post by bigB »

My thoughts on this is there is very few things that will stop a sufficiently motivated teenager. I Know this as I have these conversations alot with my kids. They will work around it or go to whatever is out of scope of the blocking.

The only thing the Australia Government is great at is political grandstanding, regardless of the party in power.

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