Australia's Age Assurance Tech Report: Insights and Implications

Published Date : 9/2/2025 

The Australian government has released the final report on the Age Assurance Technology Trial, confirming that age assurance can be implemented privately, efficiently, and effectively. However, the report also highlights the need for ongoing improvements and regulatory guidance. 

The Australian government has published the final report from the Age Assurance Technology Trial, and it is unequivocal in its finding that age assurance can be done in Australia privately, efficiently, and effectively. This is a significant win for the age assurance sector, with a few firms consistently mentioned as leaders in the field. The report, available in full online and as a set of ten bound volumes, covers technologies from 48 Age Assurance providers, offering age verification, age estimation, age inference, successive validation, parental control, and parental consent solutions.

While industry voices have welcomed the report and its results, there has been pushback from academics and privacy watchdogs, who continue to express concerns about privacy, data retention, and other issues.

The trial has been careful to state what it is not, particularly noting that it is not a policy document. The final report includes the proviso that “the report is not a set of policy recommendations or endorsements for certain types of age assurance technology.” It does not determine whether age assurance technology should be implemented or mandated in specific contexts. Instead, it aims to inform stakeholders about the current state of age assurance technologies, supporting evidence-based discussions and decision-making in this rapidly evolving field.

A recurring theme in the report is that there is no “one-size-fits-all” solution. The report states, “We did not find a single ubiquitous solution that would suit all use cases, nor did we find solutions that were guaranteed to be effective in all deployments.” The range of possibilities across the trial participants demonstrates a rich and rapidly evolving range of services that can be tailored and effective depending on each specified context of use.

The report confirms that most firms are generally secure and understand responsible data handling practices. However, the rapid pace of change means that no platform is infallible. In terms of user experience, there is room for improvement. Overall, the report confirms what its preliminary findings suggested: age assurance is possible, but not perfect. The Age Verification Providers Association (AVPA) has acknowledged areas for improvement and is discussing these with its members.

The report analyzes five categories of age assurance, each of which gets its own volume. These include age verification, age estimation, age inference technologies, successive validation systems, and parental control and consent models. Age verification methods have an edge on age estimation, which is still evolving. Providers’ claims about age verification capabilities were independently assessed and found to be accurate and reflective of real-world system performance, including in lab and field testing. For age estimation, however, some early-stage systems lacked complete transparency.

Age verification is described as a technically mature, privacy-conscious, and inclusive method of age assurance. When implemented with strong safeguards, ethical oversight, and adherence to international standards, it offers a viable and trustworthy solution for protecting children and enforcing age-based access controls in Australia’s digital environment. Continued investment in inclusion, standardization, and user-centric innovation will help ensure that age verification systems remain fair, effective, and widely accepted.

The report also highlights a concerning trend among a minority of providers toward over-preparing for investigatory or forensic requests. This includes the retention of full biometric or document data for all users, even when such retention is not required or requested. While these practices may be motivated by a desire to assist regulators or coroners in rare and serious circumstances, they carry significant privacy risks and require clearer regulatory guidance to ensure proportionality.

The report undoubtedly offers critics a chance to take a look at the data. It underscores that the trial was conducted independently of the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications, Sport, and the Arts (DITRDCSA) and regulators. Its detractors are now free to sit down with the documentation and respond. However, the key finding – that age assurance can be done in Australia privately, efficiently, and effectively – is unlikely to change. 

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQS): 

Q: What is the Age Assurance Technology Trial?

A: The Age Assurance Technology Trial is a comprehensive evaluation conducted by the Australian government to assess the capabilities, limitations, and potential of various age assurance technologies. It covers age verification, age estimation, age inference, successive validation, and parental control solutions.

Q: What are the main findings of the final report?

A: The final report confirms that age assurance can be implemented privately, efficiently, and effectively in Australia. However, it also highlights the need for ongoing improvements, particularly in user experience and data handling practices.

Q: Why is there pushback from academics and privacy watchdogs?

A: Academics and privacy watchdogs are concerned about privacy, data retention, and the potential misuse of biometric data. They argue that while age assurance is possible, it must be implemented with strong safeguards and ethical oversight.

Q: What are the key categories of age assurance technologies evaluated in the report?

A: The report evaluates five categories of age assurance technologies: age verification, age estimation, age inference, successive validation, and parental control and consent models.

Q: What is the significance of the report for the age assurance sector?

A: The report is significant for the age assurance sector as it provides a detailed, independent assessment of the current state of age assurance technologies. It helps inform stakeholders and supports evidence-based discussions and decision-making in this rapidly evolving field. 

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