STATEMENTS BY MEMBERS

Mrs McINTOSH (Lindsay) (13:57): The social media companies have publicly confirmed what I've been saying for months now: government digital ID can be used for age assurance on social media. This was revealed yesterday at a parliamentary committee hearing, when TikTok said: … with respect to taking IDs, of course that is one option amongst many options that our users might have to assure their age.

In relation to government ID, Meta said: … things like that … may be used as part of the age assurance process … We're very alive to the privacy and security risks and trying to make sure that we're adopting the least intrusive approach … ID is a very small part … So digital ID can be used when it comes to age verification, but this is not what the Minister for Communications has been saying.

She said on Instagram: MYTH: You will be required to upload your government ID to use social media. FACT: you won't—it's the law. Additionally, in a video about using government ID, she said, 'I can unequivocally rule that out.' So what is it, Minister?

Come 10 December, will Australians be compelled to use digital ID? You promised they would not.