The new Australian regulation - what is it all about?
Australia is the first country to implement such strict measures, effectively banning social media access for minors. While this legislation has received mixed reactions (not only in Australia, but also in the rest of the world), one thing is clear: stronger restrictions and improved monitoring of children’s online activities are necessary to protect young people from online threats and the harmful effects of social media.
According to Australian news media ABC, the restrictions will apply to the following social media platforms: Facebook, TikTok, Instagram, X and possibly also YouTube.
Why it’s effective but still risks compromising privacy
The current statements from the Australian parliament do not specify detailed restrictions or guidelines for the measures that SOME platform-owners must implement the age verification method.
Age verification is a necessary requirement for many platforms, but not all methods are equally privacy-friendly. For example, requiring users to upload a passport or other forms of identification exposes far more personal information than is needed, such as full name, birthdate, and document numbers. This creates unnecessary privacy risks.
A potentially safer alternative is the use of digital identity solutions like Australia's "MyID," Denmark's "MitID," or Japan's "MyNumber." These systems streamline age verification while centralizing identity data. However, relying on centralized systems introduces concerns about data overreach, control and robustness against DoS. Additionally, both passports and centralized solutions reveal a unique identifier for each individual's full identity, thereby revealing excessive information beyond what is necessary for age verification. This creates additional risks, such as data breaches, potential misuse of personal information and even tracking/surveillance.
To comply with these new regulations, many e-commerce platforms will need to upgrade their IT infrastructure. Although the law does not prescribe specific solutions, it emphasizes the need for businesses to implement measures that accurately verify a customer's age while safeguarding their privacy.
A look into the future of Zero-knowledge proofs and unlinkability
Luckily, the technology to protect citizens’ privacy already exists. It’s called Zero-Knowledge Proofs (ZKPs) and offers solutions that allow for age verification without exposing unnecessary personal information.
Zero-Knowledge Proofs can also address a critical privacy concern known as “linkability”.
Linkability refers to the ability to connect multiple interactions or transactions to the same individual, creating a trail of identifiable behavior. This is particularly concerning in scenarios like age verification, where businesses could potentially use personal data to track purchasing or preference patterns. ZKPs can mitigate this concern completely as they are unlinkable.
Further, by using Zero-Knowledge Proof technology, businesses can verify that a customer meets specific criteria, such as being of legal age, without knowing who the customer is or having the ability to trace their activity across multiple transactions. This ensures that the individual’s privacy is preserved while still meeting regulatory or procedural requirements.
By adopting these technologies, companies can comply with the law while maintaining privacy safeguards that protect citizens from excessive data collection and tracking.
Partisia encourages governments to incorporate advanced privacy-preserving technologies, such as Zero-Knowledge Proofs to ensure that citizens all over the world can verify their age without sacrificing control over their personal information.
The tools for protecting privacy are available today - we just need to implement them.
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