How Australia will implement age-assessment technology [Video]

Since Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said he would pursue a world-leading social media ban for under-16s, one question has dogged his government: how will it work?

Tony Allen, who leads the company that will trial technologies for the Australian government, says there are three key options to assess users’ age that his company will be probing as it comes up with a toolkit for social media platforms.

Testing begins in the first half of next year on a sample group of about 1100 Australians, and a cultural adviser will ensure the specific needs of Australia’s Indigenous and immigrant communities are considered.

But no single tool would prevail, Allen said in an interview with this masthead. Nor will the government force social media companies to adopt any …