What action is Australia's eSafety Commissioner taking regarding age verification?

Australia's eSafety Commissioner is signaling intent to pressure Apple and Google into removing non-compliant apps if porn companies refuse to implement age verification.

What are the new industry codes requiring for adult content websites?

New industry codes require websites hosting pornography, violence, self-harm, and disordered eating content to verify users are over 18 using methods like facial age estimation or digital ID.

How did Pornhub's parent company respond to the new age verification rules?

Pornhub's parent company, Aylo, began restricting Australian access to its websites in protest, a strategy previously employed in other countries.

Home / Technology / Australia Pushes Big Tech on Age Verification

Australia Pushes Big Tech on Age Verification

9 Mar

•

Summary

Australia threatens to use app store removal powers.
New codes mandate age verification for adult content sites.
Pornhub protests new rules by restricting Australian access.

Australia Pushes Big Tech on Age Verification

Australia's eSafety Commissioner is ready to leverage app store removal powers against Apple and Google if adult content providers do not implement mandatory age verification. This strategy has previously been employed to remove an app facilitating child grooming.

New industry codes took effect on Monday, requiring websites with adult, violent, self-harm, or disordered eating content to verify users are over 18. Methods such as facial age estimation, digital wallets, and photo ID are acceptable. Non-compliance risks penalties of up to $49.5 million per breach.

Pornhub's parent company, Aylo, began restricting Australian access to its websites last week. This move protests the new regulations, a tactic previously used in the UK, France, and 23 US states. Australian users currently encounter 'safe for work' content on Pornhub.

While Apple and Google officially prohibit pornography from their app stores, the eSafety codes extend to a broader range of content and services. This includes dating apps, AI chatbots, and video chat applications that could expose minors to harmful or explicit material.

Disclaimer: This story has been auto-aggregated and auto-summarised by a computer program. This story has not been edited or created by the Feedzop team.