Daily Tech Headlines Online Safety Act Implementation Brings Unintended Consequences - DTH
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Sep 1, 2025 The UK's Online Safety Act is causing a surprising spike in traffic to non-compliant adult sites, exposing flaws in its age verification requirements. Meanwhile, Australia is tightening social media rules for those under 16, raising challenges for AI age verification. On a brighter note, a groundbreaking AI stethoscope can detect heart issues in just 15 seconds, poised to revolutionize heart health monitoring, especially in trials with millions of patients. Tech compliance and innovation are at the forefront!
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Age Checks Caused Traffic Migration
- The UK's Online Safety Act age checks pushed users toward adult sites that didn't verify ages, creating a traffic shift.
- This demonstrates a clear law of unintended consequences when regulation changes user behavior.
Noncompliant Sites Gained Users
- Researchers found 14 of the top 90 UK adult sites with no age checks saw dramatic traffic increases after the law took effect.
- The shift highlights how partial compliance can advantage non-compliant services.
Plan For Behavioral Side Effects
- Anticipate behavioral shifts when designing digital safety regulations and monitor where users migrate.
- Regulators should model enforcement gaps and competitive effects before rolling out verification mandates.