An impartial approach

ACCS is an existing accredited conformity assessment body under ISO/IEC 17065. This means there is a mechanism for safeguarding impartiality, which is achieved through an independent impartiality panel. Impartiality is defined as “the presence of objectivity,” in line with ISO 17065:2012. 

All those involved in delivery of the project are subject to a conflict of interest process, requiring declarations and a public register which will be applicable throughout the project.  

The project’s activities are subject to scrutiny by the Ethics Committee, supported by the Legal Counsel to the Trial. Key areas of focus for the Ethics Committee include, but are not limited to: 

• ensuring Trial activities are conducted in an impartial manner 

• reviewing proposed approaches for the collection of personal information, in particular sensitive information and information relating to children 

• ensuring everyone participating in the Trial in any capacity, including children, has consented to participation after being presented with accurate and comprehensible information about the Trial 

• ensuring accountability mechanisms are in place that enable stakeholders to raise questions or concerns about the trial 

• Ensuring the Trial has made robust efforts to engage with First Nations people and ensure that they outcomes of the Trial benefit their communities. 

The Trial team will liaise with the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC) and the application of safeguarding of children policies. 

Respecting the rights and wellbeing of children, whether participating in the Trial or more broadly, is a priority for the Trial team. Children share all the fundamental rights of adults, but have diminished autonomy or differing capacities to advocate for their rights. As such, additional measures have been implemented to ensure that children participating in the Trial are kept safe and feel supported at all stages, in line with the Australian Government’s National Principles for Child Safe Organisations. 

The Trial’s First Nations Cultural Advisor, John Fejo, is actively engaging with First Nations communities throughout the course of the Trial. The Trial integrates the four guiding principles of the AIATSIS Code of Ethics into its activities. More broadly, it seeks to respect and draw on the wisdom and diversity of Indigenous knowledge systems. 

The impact of age assurance technologies on privacy and data protection are commonly cited concerns during research into user attitudes. The trial will evaluate the potential impact of different age assurance technologies on user privacy, but it is also vital that the trial be conducted in a way that respects individuals’ right to privacy. This includes ensuring individuals, including children and other individuals of different capacities, can make informed choices about how their personal information is collected and processed.  

Throughout the lifecycle of the Trial, strict safeguard will be implemented to respect the privacy of participants alongside mechanisms for transparency and accountability that will empower individuals to exercise their fundamental rights. Only strictly necessary data will be collected, and it will be destroyed as soon as it is no longer needed. Pseudonymisation and strict information management and security protocols will be followed throughout the course of the Trial.