Meta’s Vice President suggested that age verification at the app store level would be a more efficient method for parents to monitor their children’s social media usage. This proposal comes as Australia considers implementing a social media ban for children under 16, with digital platforms facing fines if they do not verify users’ ages.
During a parliamentary inquiry, Meta’s Vice President, Antigone Davis, recommended that app stores notify parents when their teens want to download an app. This way, parents can approve or deny the download and verify their teen’s age during phone setup, eliminating the need for repetitive age verification across multiple apps.
Davis also mentioned that other social media companies like Snap and TikTok support this app store-based approach, along with the International Center for Missing and Exploited Children. She emphasized the importance of a consistent industrywide standard to support parents and young users.
Challenges with Current Age Verification Methods
While Meta has implemented age verification measures on its platform, Davis acknowledged that existing methods have limitations. These limitations include privacy concerns when requesting IDs or using age estimation classifiers, which may not provide accurate results.
Despite efforts to invest in AI age estimation tools, Davis admitted that the technology still requires significant improvement. The company is advocating for a multi-layered approach to age verification to address these challenges.
Survey Shows Doubts about Age Verification
A recent survey by the University of Sydney revealed that while there is strong support for more effective age restrictions on social media, many Australians doubt the effectiveness of age verification. Teenagers and parents expressed concerns about potential workarounds like VPNs and the burden of managing consent for social media usage.
Parents also raised worries about data breaches and the potential misuse of age verification data. These concerns highlight the complexity of implementing age verification measures and the need for a comprehensive solution that addresses these issues.
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