I don’t think Australia is doing this for the kids. They’re doing it so that the adults need to get verified.

Considering how historically ineffective age bans have been online, I’m surprised that countries keep trying for this. Telling kids, esoecually teenagers, that they’re not allowed to use social media will only make them want to use it more, and thus bypass any restrictions, defeating the purpose of the ban.

It’s like CoD being 18+ yet somehow still full of prepubescent squeakers who all apparently fucked your mother last night and have Dads who work for Xbox.

Forcing social media companies to put in place appropriate safeguards for kids who do end up on social media like this “digital duty of care” is probably more effective in the long run than playing an endless cat and mouse race.

The fact that whenever I open myGov on my iPad, and immediately see “connect your digital ID” makes me never want to do that. They also want me to use this ID, which is linked to my Medicare, citizenship, voting, etc., For social media and other accounts, which instantly rings alarm bells in my mind, the government and corpos knowing that I am exactly who I am, and that I am likely not able to disconnect it from myGov nor the social media platforms it could regulate.