The Albanese Government is advancing a national surveillance initiative, set to expand its digital monitoring capabilities through facial recognition and biometric data under the guise of protecting children. This move follows the passage of the Digital ID Act and could soon make biometric scanning mandatory for Australians to access the internet, warned Brian Marlow, in a campaign launched with CitizenGo.

The latest step in this agenda comes as part of an “age verification” trial led by the eSafety Commissioner. The government claims the initiative aims to protect children from online harm, but it applies universally and could require all users to scan their faces, record their voices, or submit official identification to log onto social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram.

Despite technical flaws, including misidentifications of children as adults in their 30s, the trial continues. Critics argue the technology is unreliable, and the system could lead to constant surveillance of all Australians, especially law-abiding citizens who are forced to comply.

Marlow offers seven points of concern:

1. The technology is unreliable: Age estimates are wildly inaccurate. Kids are being flagged as adults. The system simply doesn’t work.
2. Everyone is caught in the net: Adults will face constant checks and surveillance just to access ordinary websites. No exceptions.
3. Digital ID is being pushed through the back door: The trial openly encourages linking face scans to government ID and digital wallets.
4. Your data won’t be safe: Private companies are building tools that allow regulators and police to track, log, and store personal data permanently.
5. It won’t stop teenagers: Kids will use VPNs and workarounds. Only law-abiding Australians will be punished.
6. It sets a dangerous precedent: If we accept biometric scanning for social media today, tomorrow it will be required for everything.
7. There’s no public demand for this: No one asked for face scans or digital ID to access the internet. This is being forced on us from the top down.

The initiative also ties into broader plans to integrate digital identity systems with government-issued digital wallets and national ID programs. If successful, these biometric checks could extend to banking, healthcare, and welfare services, creating a “total control” surveillance system.

With the government set to expand this system soon, opponents warn that if unchecked, biometric scans could become a routine part of internet access—and eventually infiltrate all areas of daily life. As such, the campaign is calling for an end to the trial, urging citizens to reject the government’s push for facial recognition, biometric data collection, and digital IDs.

Marlow warns, “Australia will become the first democracy to require facial scans to use the internet. Every log-in, every search, every click will be watched, stored, and linked to your identity. Surveillance will creep into every part of life, and once built, this system will never be dismantled.”

Australians must act now to halt this unprecedented surveillance move before it becomes permanent. You can sign the petition at CitizenGo and tell the Minister for Communications to “end the trial, reject biometric enforcement, and protect our privacy before it’s gone for good.”