Concerns over selfie-based age verification software mount as an Australian government commissioned report finds “unacceptable” inaccuracies. In anticipation of the software’s full rollout in December of this year, a trial run was conducted by government appointed authorities to understand its precision and reliability. 

The report found that while age estimations made through photos are largely fast, accurate and safe, it becomes harder for children near the age of 16, who had an 8.5 percent chance of being estimated as underage. More concerningly, the software shows early signs of algorithmic discrimination that would make it particularly difficult for non-Causians and teenage girls to be precisely categorised.