Australia, UK, EU online age checks: Could NZ be next? – The Front Page

The days of simply ticking a box to confirm your age online are over.

The UK has become one of the first countries to make it harder for internet users to consume porn by requiring age verification measures to prevent under-18s from viewing explicit content.

Laws came into effect last month that require websites hosting pornography or other explicit material to add age verification methods to block minors. They include measures like credit card checks, selfie-based age estimation using AI, photo ID matching or using third-party verification services.

However, users have been able to circumvent the law already. There has been a huge surge in VPN app downloads in the UK, giving people the ability to hide what country they’re logging in from. If they use a VPN from another country, they’re able to access restricted websites.

On one day last week, half of the top 10 free apps in Apple’s charts in the UK were for VPN services – one app maker told the BBC it had noted a 1800% spike in downloads.

Technology Users Association of New Zealand chief executive Craig Young told The Front Page that this shows the process isn’t foolproof.

“Some of the research that’s coming out of the UK said that 68% of teens there have actually used a VPN to bypass age gates.

“You are almost encouraging people to find ways around it rather than educating them on why this is the case,” he said.

It’s not just sites that platform pornography that are being swept up with the change. Social media sites like X and Reddit are affected as well. New York Magazine reported British users are apparently being asked to show ID to access forums such as support groups dealing with sexual assault, smoking and drinking.

The UK isn’t the only country moving to introduce age verification online. Half of the US states now require age verification, and the European Union is also rolling out laws across the bloc.

Young said closer to home, Australia is set to introduce the harshest law that doesn’t just apply to porn sites, but also to major social media platforms.

“From December, social media platforms that the government designates as ‘age-restricted’ must take reasonable steps to prevent children under 16 from creating accounts on their services.

“You can be fined up to $50 million for not complying with the new rules,” he said.

So, what path should New Zealand take?

“We want to teach our kids how to be good digital citizens ... Is a blanket ban on anything somebody thinks is harmful a good way of helping our young people understand their own selves and their lives?

“If you are removing information and making this blanket ban, you’re almost encouraging people to find ways around it rather than educating them why this is the case,” he said.

Listen to the full episode to hear more about how age verification works online.

The Front Page is a daily news podcast from the New Zealand Herald, available to listen to every weekday from 5am. The podcast is presented by Chelsea Daniels, an Auckland-based journalist with a background in world news and crime/justice reporting who joined NZME in 2016.

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