Australia News

The Australian internet industry has produced draft censorship rules related to age/ID verification. The schedule is for these to come into force in 2025.

One of the rules that has caught the attention is that search engines will be required to age/ID verify users before links to porn or gambling sites sites can be provided.

The draft codes will apply to websites, social media, video games, search engines, gaming companies, app developers and internet service providers, among others.

As is the case in most other countries, the authorities are refusing to specify exactly what age/ID verification mechanisms will be acceptable and will leave it to companies to take enormous commercial risks in guessing what mechanisms will be acceptable. Examples of options include checking photo ID, facial age estimation, credit card checks, digital ID wallets or systems, or attestation by a parent or guardian.

The codes have been developed by the Australian Mobile Telecommunications Association (Amta), the Communications Alliance, the Consumer Electronics Suppliers Association (CESA), the Digital Industry Group Inc. (Digi), and the Interactive Games and Entertainment Association (IGEA).

Dr Jennifer Duxbury, Digi's director for policy, regulatory affairs, and research, told Guardian Australia that the group doesn't speak for the porn industry, and added:

I can't predict what their reaction might be, whether they would withdraw from the market, or what's the likely outcome.

Another layer of secrecy is being stripped from Australian internet users. At a time when users are being forced to and over personal ID data in the name of age verification, it seems that governments will be quick in demanding that internet companies have to hand over such data to them.

It was announced that internet companies will now be forced to reveal the ages of active users supposedly so that the Australian Government can get a grip on the impact these platforms are having on Australian kids.

Last week the Albanese Government announced sweeping reforms intended to boost transparency and accountability for digital platforms used by Australians including popular social media, messaging and gaming services. Communications Minister Michelle Rowland said the government had amended the Basic Online Safety Expectations to better address new and emerging online safety issues and help hold the tech industry accountable.

The new Determination will also require companies to provide, on request of the eSafety Commissioner, a report on the number of active end-users of services in Australia, broken down according to the number of users who are children or adults.

eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant said that without information on users' ages, the Government was flying blind. Inman Grant said these strengthened powers meant her office would now be able to find out precisely how many children are on specific services. She said:

This needs to be a starting point of understanding how many under-aged users are on these platforms today, otherwise governments are flying blind. If we're serious about effectively managing the ages and stages at which a child can partake in social media, we need to move forward with all technology companies deploying effective age-assurance systems.

How NOT To Summon A Demon Lord is a 2018 Japan animation comedy
Starring Masaaki Mizunaka, Yû Serizawa and Azumi Waki

Season 2 was banned in January 2023 by the Australian Censorship Board. The problem was a still image at the end of Episode 3, CORRUPT RITUAL Presumably this image was cut when Season 2 was resubmitted in June 2023 and it was then MA 15+ rated.

Summary Notes

An elite player is summoned by two maidens to save a fantasy game.

SeasonTwo

uncut run: 251m pal: 241m		UK: Uncut and BBFC 18 rated for: 2023 Crunchyroll (RB) Blu-ray at UK Amazon #ad
cut cut:   run: 251m pal: 241m		Australia: ACB MA 15+ rated for strong sexual themes and sexualised imagery after censor cuts: 2023 Crunchyroll (RB) Blu-ray (classified 27/06/2023) Presumably the offending image was cut when Season 2 was resubmitted and then MA 15+ rated in June 2023.
banned		Australia: Banned by the ACB for: 2023 Crunchyroll (RB) Blu-ray (banned 04/01/2023) See refused-classification.com : The problem was a still image at the end of Episode 3, CORRUPT RITUAL.

Australia's book censor has rejected a push by anti-LGBTQIA+ activist to ban memoir titled Gender Queer.

The book was referred to the Classification Board after Queensland Police was tipped off by conservative campaigner Bernard Gaynor.

The Australian Classification Board has now classified non-binary author and cartoonist Maia Kobabe's Gender Queer: A Memoir as unrestricted with the rating M (Mature). Not Recommended for Readers Under 15 Years.

The award-winning book has become one of the most banned books in America over its depictions of LGBTQIA+ sex and sexuality, including explicit illustrations and descriptions.