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A government-commissioned report from Australia indicates that selfie-based age estimation technology generally provides accurate and rapid results, maintaining user privacy. However, the report highlights significant inaccuracies for certain demographic groups, particularly those near the legal age of 16, raising concerns ahead of the scheduled December implementation of the age ban.
The findings suggest that the technology works well for individuals over 19 years old but demonstrates increased uncertainty for those within three years of the age threshold, both younger and older. For example, 16-year-olds have about an 8.5% likelihood of being mistaken for underage, which could necessitate additional verification methods such as ID checks or parental approval.
While the software performs adequately across diverse user groups, some disparities exist: accuracy diminishes for older adults, non-Caucasian users, and females approaching the policy’s cutoff point. This inconsistency has social media experts questioning whether the system can be reliably implemented within the tight timeframe.
Media researcher Justine Humphry from the University of Sydney expressed concern about the accuracy variation, especially given the limited time frame to develop a robust implementation. Meanwhile, Australian Communications Minister Anika Wells emphasized that, despite not having a one-size-fits-all solution, the trial proves that effective age verification options exist and that user privacy can be protected.
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