David Pocock (ACT, Independent) | Hansard source

Finally, I want to touch on privacy. I know Senator Hanson-Young has done some really good work in this space. To be honest, I've been really surprised that we haven't heard more from libertarians and others in the coalition who are concerned about this.

In its submission to the Senate inquiry, the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner said:

The Bill would require a new cohort of entities who have not previously had to conduct age checks under other laws or regulations (e.g. Social Media Minimum Age (SMMA)) to implement age assurance should they wish to offer online wagering advertising. This includes large online content services, such as sports streaming services, broadcasters and news websites.

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The excessive collection of personal information is of great concern to the Australian community.

In particular, the OAIC notes that this bill—the one that's passing tonight—will require online service content services not to verify whether you are over or under 18 but to verify your exact age. The OAIC recommends that 'the bill does not refer to age without further clarification, as this introduces a disproportionate privacy risk to individuals by requiring the collection of an exact age, rather than an under/over 18 threshold'. Why are we requiring Australians to give out their precise age and not just verify whether they are over or under 18? Why are we doing all this so that a predatory industry can continue to advertise to Australians?