US Edition
Australia Implements New Age Verification Laws
- Requiring proof of age, the new rules mandate Australians verify they are over 18 before accessing adult content such as pornography and explicit chatbots.
- Taking effect on Monday, the second tranche of codes adds six rules to three existing codes already in force, with Julie Inman-Grant saying the changes complement the December 2025 social media ban.
- Platforms must implement 'meaningful steps' to verify users' ages, requiring search engines, app stores, social media platforms, gaming providers, pornography websites and generative AI systems to use facial recognition, digital IDs and credit-card checks managed under Australian privacy laws.
- Aylo responded by blocking Australian registrations and altering site content, while Australia's online safety regulator warned platforms could face A$49.5 million per-offence fines for breaches.
- Masood said, 'For many people, there is a discomfort with linking identity verification to highly personal browsing activity,' while experts warned young people will bypass checks using VPNs and unregulated platforms despite high exposure to harmful content.
47 Articles
47 Articles
Age-verification rules hit Australians’ access to online porn
Australians were downloading virtual private networks (VPNs) in droves on Monday, while one of the world's largest porn distributors said it was blocking users from its platforms as the country rolled out sweeping online age restrictions.
Porn Giant Blocks Australian Users in Response to Age-Verification Laws
Global pornography giant Aylo has blocked Australians from accessing its websites in response to new laws requiring online platforms to verify users’ age for R-rated content. On March 9, the second tranche of Australia’s Age-Restricted Material Codes came in to effect, forcing digital platforms to impose strict age verification to prevent children under 18 from accessing adult and harmful online materials. Under the changes, the eSafety Commissi…
VPN use surges in Australia after porn sites block users over age verification law
When Australia begun implementing a British-style age verification law for accessing "adult" material online, porn sites began blocking Australian users rather than comply with the privacy-invading requirements. The result? A surge in VPN downloads. Australian downloads of VPN apps have skyrocketed as one of the world's biggest pornography websites begins blocking Down Under users in protest of new age verification laws. — Read the rest The pos…
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