It seems negative partisanship is quite the trend among those on the right. It must get exhausting and confusing, though, ironing out all the inevitable contradictions that come with such an illogical decision-making process.

So exhausting, apparently, that this Reuben Kirkham character couldn't even be bothered figuring out how to frame the online protection of minors as "censorship." He just asserts that it does so in passing at the start of the article.

As for the data? Yes, Paul was right to be sceptical. The data is as suspicious as it is context-free.

The figures quoted by ttbn don’t appear in the official $6.5m Australian age-assurance trial report, nor in any transparent vendor documentation:
http://www.infrastructure.gov.au/sites/default/files/documents/aatt_part_a_digital.pdf

And even if such numbers exist, without context - sample size, threshold, fallback systems - they’re meaningless. Age estimation is probabilistic, not binary, and governments use layered safeguards precisely because no single system is perfect. Cherry-picking unsourced numbers turns nuance into scare-mongering.

Yes, facial analysis can misestimate minority groups - and the government report acknowledges this, stressing the need for more inclusive training data. Researchers and civil rights advocates treat this as a problem to fix (http://www.esafety.gov.au/industry/tech-trends-and-challenges/age-assurance).

But here, misestimates of minority groups are only mentioned to weaponise outrage. The concern ends at how this can all be framed to make the current government look bad.

The moral of the story here is to choose a neutral, non-partisan source for your data. For the information illiterate out there, it's the kind that declares conflicts of interest, applies consistent standards regardless of political alignment, and is open about the methodology used.

We're not stuck choosing between the two extremes of communist and fascist.

The FSU is a notorious activist outfit with a track record of conspiracies and grievance politics. It doesn’t publish peer-reviewed work, declare funding sources, or show methodology. It exists to misinform and enrage, not to educate or warn.

Hi Paul,
'campaigned strongly against Covid-19 vaccination'
Well that's not a bad thing. I'm probably the only one here sensible enough to say 'no' to that poison.

Hi ttbn,

"Of course it is right wing, you idiot. The opposite to your communist trash. Those of us who are right wing are proud to be so; wouldn't be anything else. The 'right' is a fact of life. It opposes the 'left'. Only a thorough-going dimwit thinks there should only be one side - the dimwit's side."

If the other right-wingers all jumped off a cliff, would you do that too?
Personally I look at the balance of policies, and fyi there is only one side, when your side wanted us to vote for death.

LNP - Israel all the way, Dutton made that clear.
The right are the religious genocide hypocrite party.
And the left well, they are the party of gays and women and immigrants.

"You keeping stating the bloody obvious. If course there is a right wing that opposes the authoritarian left, that everywhere but Australia and Communist China people have had a gut full of."

The right exists to stick it to the left.
The left exists to stick it to the right.
They tend to stuff everything else up, and we the citizens get a steaming pile of weasels that can't agree on anything and rarely have the nation as a whole in its best interests.

Democracy downward spiral / Check best before date

"The right will be back, even if I am not around to see it."
- They are in self-implosion mode, they can't decide whether or not to boot their conservative base and become more moderate to win inner city seats, because if they don't they're out of the game.

Thanks for screwing things up, for Israel.
Like I support mass immigration and transgender toilets.

ttbn, the only sensible thing you have said so far is; "I (ttbn) am not around to see it" We can only hope for such a small mercy.

John, yes I am sceptical of anything put up by The Free Speech Union of Australia, as I believe their agenda is not to inform, but to mislead, the aim being to satisfy their own agenda.

AC, with hindsight, I agree there were many mistakes made by government during Covid, Australia was not alone in that regard. Just as there is in any war, requiring quick response, mistakes are made, Covid was no exception. What government is bad at is quick reaction, and Covid required quick reaction, given that our representatives are not particularly gifted with exceptional knowledge, and they rely on expert opinion to determine the course of action moving forward. When politicians are left to go it alone, there will be many bad decisions, and many bad mistakes made. That's what happened with Covid, but overall we got through it, millions didn't.

Hi Paul,
"What government is bad at is quick reaction"
So what does that mean?
Democracies perform poorly under pressure?

I read a couple of paragraphs of ttbn's quadrant article, I wish he'd just add links in his opening comment.
Honestly, I couldn't read any more than that because the entire concept seems ridiculous and completely unworkable to me,

I'm not sure who the biggest fool is, was it the person who came up with it (age estimation) or the person who decided to sign off on funding it?
They deserve to have their heads knocked together.

So the poor younger looking kid turns 16 all excited on their birthday,

'Yay! I can get back on Snapchap and TikTok'
- All smiles, goes to log on 'So sorry we estimate that you won't be 16 for another 18 months'
Geez, I'd hate to be mum on the end of that mess to start off 16th birthday celebrations.
What next?
Maybe the kid goes down the Transport Department to get it's learners permit, 'Yay, I'm 16 now! I'm going to be able to drive a car!'
'Sorry our facial recognition AI estimates that you won't be 16 for another 18 months'

Seriously, what a bunch of f---heads.
Sorry for the language [as in - sorry / not sorry]
but I just don't know what else to say.
Who comes up with this stuff?

Speaking of online censorship.
Turns out all this TikTok owned by China business, is really all about Israel losing influence amongst US conservative youth, which is a serious issue for Israel.
And Trumps got a sale all lined up to his Jewish businessman mates, I'm sure the frightening images from Gaza will be the first thing censored.
- For the USERS OWN SAFETY of course.
'We're here to protect you, what BS'
Algorithms promoting holocaust museums instead...

They can't even stop kids watching porn, it's all a load of shite.
The info about TikTok's in the following video at the 13 min mark.

Max Blumenthal : Iran Fully Prepared.
http://www.youtube.com/live/Kap9aIdqaiw

I suppose it behoves me to thank Troll 1405 and Armchair for their continuing interest in my posts, and their revealing comments. Although Troll says that some posters have “given up on this old fella”, he is not one of them - always jumping in, pouncing on my every word. And, the time Armchair puts in on my behalf … on and on. … sometimes three or four posts together (although that could be because he can't count to 350).

So, thanks boys

Hi AC,

"What government is bad at is quick reaction"
So what does that mean?

Government (parliamentarians/our representatives) need to be well informed before they can make well judged decisions. In a rapidly changing environment, such as a war, or a pandemic etc, there is no time for the bureaucracy/experts to give that quick advice, it takes time, a luxury they don't have under the circumstances. Our style of government is desired to be run by a slow moving apparatus, politicians, bureaucrats, functionaries, experts etc, its a very slow moving juggernaut.

Democracies perform poorly under pressure?

Yes, under extreme pressure government can become chaotic as competing forces try to assert their authority with their differing opinions, arguments and complete chaos ensues, with no effective government in control. That's when strong leadership is called for, I call it the "Julius Caesar" effect, a strong leader who can make the right decisions quickly under pressure. The Romans actually believed a dictatorship was desirable, even necessary for the greater good under those circumstances.