Australia Asks Stakeholders to Weigh In on Age Verification

Australia Asks Stakeholders to Weigh In on Age Verification

CANBERRA, Australia — Australia’s eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman-Grant this week began the consultation process on an age verification scheme for adult content, recommended in February 2020 by the House of Representatives Standing Committee on Social Policy and Legal Affairs.

According to local news site The Mandarin, “the consultation with industry, stakeholder groups and experts will inform a roadmap for the implementation of a mandatory age verification regime for online pornographic material.”

There will also be “a separate consultation process on updates to Australia’s restricted access system (RAS) declaration, which aims to protect children from exposure to inappropriate content. The RAS changes will focus on technological developments since 2007 and will apply to services provided from Australia, and services hosting material in Australia. For example, services could be required to place R18+ material behind a restricted access system so it can’t be accessed by viewers under the age of 18.”

Defining 'Extreme' Pornography

Inman-Grant told the local press that she believes “inappropriate content like violent or extreme pornography that young children may encounter by accident can be distressing and even harmful, while for older children who may seek out this material, the risk is that it will give them unrealistic and potentially damaging ideas about what intimate relationships should look like.”

“Age verification, as overseas experience has shown, is a complex issue, so it is important that all sections of the community are able to be heard,” Inman-Grant added. “We will take a considered, evidence-based approach that takes into account feedback from industry, stakeholders, experts and the public to find workable solutions.”

Neither Inman-Grant nor the MPs who demanded the age verification scheme have clarified how "extreme" pornography will be distinguished from "regular" pornography, or who would be in charge of making that decision.

AV proponent Joe Tucci, chief executive of the Australian Childhood Foundation, told Australia’s The Advocate that “all adult content should have mandatory identification checks to protect children from inadvertently accessing material they do not understand, or which can be potentially harmful.”

"We don't let a 16 year-old go into a bar, we don't let them gamble,” Tucci said. “You have to have proof of age in a whole range of settings and the online experience should be the same. It is about the community setting a standard, and about putting up the kind of barriers that don't make access easy, that make it hard enough for the young person to give up or persuade them from continuing to get access."

Other advocates of the age verification scheme proposed by the government have suggested the use of facial recognition technology to access adult content.

Copyright © 2025 Adnet Media. All Rights Reserved. XBIZ is a trademark of Adnet Media.
Reproduction in whole or in part in any form or medium without express written permission is prohibited.

More News

Chaturbate Announces 2025 Music Contest Winners

Chaturbate has revealed the winners of its 2025 music competition.

2026 XBIZ Exec Awards Pre-Noms Open With Debut of New 'Impact' Honors

XBIZ is pleased to announce that the pre-nomination period for the 2026 XBIZ Exec Awards, the adult industry’s premier career honor, begins today and runs through Oct. 14.

MYM Launches New Traffic System

German creator platform MYM has launched a new traffic system for its members.

Ukrainian Content Creators on Hook for Nearly $10M in Back Taxes

Content creators in Ukraine owe the equivalent of $9.3 million in back taxes, according to the country's State Tax Service.

European Patent Office Board of Appeals Revokes EIS GmbH Patent

The European Patent Office (EPO) Board of Appeals last week ruled in favor of pleasure brand LELO in the company's ongoing dispute with Satisfyer parent company EIS GmbH.

Eroutique Relaunches Site Through YourPaysitePartner

Eroutique has relaunched its official website through YourPaysitePartner (YPP).

Update: Pornhub Will Not Block Ohio, Despite AV Law

Pornhub parent company Aylo will not block access to its websites in Ohio, despite new state age verification rules that came into effect Sept. 30.

Pineapple Support, Pornhub to Host 'ADHD-Friendly' Support Group

Pineapple Support and Pornhub are hosting a free online support group for performers with ADHD.

Judge Dismisses Some Claims in 'Children of Pornhub' Trafficking Suit

A United States district judge on Friday dismissed some but not all claims against Aylo in a long-running case involving CSAM allegations featured in the influential 2020 New York Times article “The Children of Pornhub.”

FSC Sets Key Dates, Qualifiers for December Board of Directors Election

The Free Speech Coalition (FSC) today announced key dates and qualifiers for its upcoming Board of Directors election.

Show More