Australian Senate rejects age verification for search engine users in surprise bipartisan push – NaturalNews.com

• Australia’s Senate passed a motion to halt proposed mandatory age verification for search engine users, citing serious privacy concerns.
• The motion, led by UAP Senator Ralph Babet, drew rare bipartisan support from parties across the political spectrum, except Labor.
• Babet warned that the proposed verification methods, such as ID checks, facial recognition and data tracking, would erode civil liberties under the guise of child safety.
• The motion follows legislation passed in November 2024 banning under-16s from social media, which includes AU$50 million (US$33 million) fines for non-compliant platforms.
• Critics argue that both the age verification proposal and the social media ban set dangerous precedents for surveillance and undermine parental responsibility.

An urgent motion to block the rollout of mandatory age verification for search engine users has passed Australia’s Senate with overwhelming cross-party support.

The motion, spearheaded by United Australia Party Senator Ralph Babet, stems from a recommendation by the federal eSafety Commissioner, who in early July urged the government to consider age verification requirements for users signed into search engines like Google and Bing. Verification methods under discussion included ID checks, biometric scanning, credit card authentication, parental vouching, AI-powered estimations or third-party verification services, raising immediate red flags for privacy advocates.

In a speech to the Senate on July 29, Babet acknowledged the importance of child safety but warned that the proposed measures posed a fundamental threat to Australians’ civil liberties.

“Let me say from the outset that protecting children online is a moral imperative,” he said. “Measures like safe-search filters for minors, better parental controls and the restriction of harmful content are of course welcome, but let’s not kid ourselves – this is not about protecting children, it is about building a surveillance infrastructure under the cover of safety.”

Babet condemned the use of facial recognition, ID linkage and browsing history tracking, calling the measures “data mining” and a step toward “creeping authoritarianism.”

“That’s biometric scanning. That’s data mining. We’re rapidly marching towards a society where privacy online is not just frowned upon but perhaps going to become illegal. That’s what’s going on,” he said. “Imagine this: your face, your ID and your personal browsing history all linked, logged and stored in the name of keeping kids safe. But I ask you this: who is keeping citizens safe from this creeping authoritarianism disguised as policy?”

While the current plan would only apply to users signed into search engines, Babet warned it sets a dangerous precedent.

“I cannot stress enough that we are not, nor do we want to become, China or North Korea. We’re Australians. Australians have a right to privacy, to autonomy and to live free from constant digital scrutiny,” he said. (Related: Australia following Communist China’s footsteps with digital ID system.)

The motion gained unlikely allies from across the political spectrum, including the conservative Coalition, the right-wing One Nation, the far-left Greens and several independent left-leaning senators, such as David Pocock, Lidia Thorpe and Fatima Payman. Notably, the Labor Party stood alone in opposing the motion.

Babet challenges Australia’s social media ban for under-16s

The proposal builds on legislation passed in November 2024 that bans children under the age of 16 from accessing social media.

The legislation targets platforms including TikTok, Instagram, Snapchat, Facebook, Reddit and X (formerly Twitter). It imposes fines of up to AU$50 million (US$33 million) on companies that fail to prevent underage users from creating accounts.

All major political parties backed the legislation, which supporters claimed is a vital step in protecting children from online harms. Once enacted, platforms will have 12 months to comply before enforcement begins.

Since then, lawmakers from smaller parties and independents have accused the government of rushing the bill and questioning both its effectiveness and unintended consequences.

Follow PrivacyWatch.news for more similar stories.

Watch the video below about why internet age verification laws are another nail in the coffin of privacy.

This video is from the unmasked channel on Brighteon.com.

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Sources include:

ZeroHedge.com

TheEpochTimes.com 1

APH.gov.au

TheEpochTimes.com 2

Brighteon.com