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The Guardian - AU
The Guardian - AU
Business
Josh Taylor

Would face scanning technology keep Australian kids off social media? The UK regulator doubts it

a child on social media
Opposition leader Peter Dutton has said he would seek to force social media companies to ban children under 16 from their platforms if the Coalition were elected. Photograph: Peter Byrne/PA

The face scanning technology used to verify people’s ages online is fallible on young teenagers, the boss of the UK’s online safety regulator has warned, throwing doubt on a key method Australia’s opposition believes can stop children from accessing social media.

Peter Dutton, the opposition leader, has said he would seek to force social media companies to ban children under 16 from their platforms in the first 100 days of coming into government, if the Coalition were elected.

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