避免未成年接觸色情 澳洲擬設立網上年齡驗證系統

蔡凱琳(項目及媒體幹事)

澳洲聯邦政府今個月(六月)原則上採納《保護未成年人士》報告(“Protecting the age of innocence”)的建議:透過網上年齡驗證系統(age verification system),避免未成年人士在網上接觸色情資訊。

避免未成年接觸網上色情

澳洲眾議院社會政策和法律事務常務委員收集3000多份專家及公眾意見,在2020年2月首次提交《保護未成年人士》報告(下稱報告),建議聯邦政府保護未成年人士,避免他們在網上接觸色情及賭博資訊。

報告指出首次接觸色情內容的平均年齡在 8 至 10 歲之間。9至16歲兒童中,有44%在網上遇過色情圖片。由於便攜式設備的發展,人們更容易接觸色情。

報告同時指出未成年接觸色情會有負面影響,包括危害健康、教育、人際關係和福祉,增加心理健康狀況不佳、性侵犯和性暴力的機會,對性和女性產生性別歧視和不健康的觀點。

設立網上年齡驗證系統

網上年齡驗證系統用於確認用戶年齡,避免未成年人士在網上瀏覽色情。報告建議使用不同方法作網上年齡驗證,包括文件驗證服務、使用其他數據庫、年齡篩查及年齡估算。

網上年齡驗證有別於身份或客戶驗證,需要更複雜的查證,以確保驗證者的真實身份。驗證者需提交政府認可的身份證明文件,例如駕駛執照或護照。

報告認為年齡驗證系統需要符合基本準則,包括私隱、安全、保安、數據處理(data handling)、可用性(usability)、可存取性(accessibility)及對系統供應商的審查。建議聯邦政府諮詢數碼轉型部門(Digital Transformation Agency)及澳洲網絡安全中心(Australian Cyber Security Centre)的意見。

應為兒童抵禦色情危機

聯邦政府認為單靠科技上的解決方法,並不能完全阻止所有未成年人士存取網上色情內容。同時需要透過家長參與、全面的關係與性教育及過濾系統等方法,為未成年人士抵禦色情帶來的潛在危機。

除了澳洲外,英國在2019年也曾計劃在色情網頁加入年齡驗證系統,保護未成年人士。雖然英國的計劃後來被擱置,但仍然反映重視個人自由的國際社會開始覺察色情對社會及未成年人士的害處,甚至提出具體預防措施。在妥善的個人資料和私隱保障下,我們認為香港特區政府可積極參考有關做法,至少設立專家小組研究色情對未成年的影響。


參考資料:
AHISA media release. (3 June 2020). Protecting the age of innocence is urgent business. Medianet. Retrieved from https://www.medianet.com.au/releases/202004/
Australian Government. (June 2021). Australian Government response to the House of Representatives Standing Committee on Social Policy and Legal Affairs report: Protecting the age of innocence. Retrieved from https://www.infrastructure.gov.au/department/ips/government_responses/government-response-protecting-the-age-of-innocence.aspx
Collective Shout. (1 June 2021). Media Release: Overdue Federal Government announcement on porn protections for kids welcomed. Retrieved from https://www.collectiveshout.org/media_release_gov_support_for_age_verification
House of Representatives Standing Committee on Social Policy and Legal Affairs in Australia. (February 2020). Protecting the age of innocence. Retrieved from https://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Committees/House/Social_Policy_and_Legal_Affairs/Onlineageverification/Report
Joe H. (9 June 2021). Australian children first see porn around nine years of age sparking government push on age-verification system. Catholic Leader. Retrieved from https://catholicleader.com.au/news/australia/australian-children-first-see-porn-around-nine-years-of-age-sparkingovernment-push-on-age-verification-system/
Liz W. (2 June 2021). A step closer to Age Verification in Australia. Youth Wellbeing Project. Retrieved from https://www.youthwellbeingproject.com.au/a-step-closer-to-age-verification-in-australia/
Parliament of Australia. (5 March 2020). Protecting the age of innocence. Analysis and Policy Observatory. Retrieved from https://apo.org.au/node/277551
Rebecca A. (2 June 2021). Plans underway to make it harder for Aussie kids to access porn. Eternity. Retrieved from https://www.eternitynews.com.au/australia/plans-underway-to-make-it-harder-for-aussie-kids-to-access-porn/
Tamara Newlands. (5 March 2020). Australia moves to protect the age of innocence. eChildhood. Retrieved from https://www.echildhood.org/protecting_the_age_of_innocence
Waterson J. (16 October 2019). UK drops plans for online pornography age verification system. The Guardian. Retrieved from https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2019/oct/16/uk-drops-plans-for-online-pornography-age-verification-system
Wendy F. (3 June 2021). Australia moves a step closer to protecting children online. Australian Christian Lobby. Retrieved from https://www.acl.org.au/mr_wf_age_verification_report#splash-signup

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