Age assurance: a perspective by Colm Gannon

Colm Gannon, our CEO, has been fielding many questions about his thoughts on age assurance lately, and for good reason. As calls for stricter age verification grow louder, Australia finds itself at the centre of a global conversation about protecting children online.

In his latest op-ed, Colm explains why age verification, while well-intentioned, may not be the silver bullet many hope it will be.

"We can't view children as passive users. They are digital citizens with valuable insights into their own online experiences," he writes.

Colm's key insights:

• Age assurance is just one piece of a complex puzzle
• Parents inadvertently bypass these measures daily through shared
  devices
• Overly strict restrictions often push children to darker corners of the internet
• Digital literacy education is critical

With everyone watching Australia's next moves, we have an opportunity to establish best practice by developing solutions that are both effective and respectful of children's rights.

"Robust doesn't have to mean invasive," Colm notes. "Let's include them in the conversation."