BREAKING! For all people in Australia, road map to De Facto Digotal ID from eSafety Commissioner office:

Cabinet-in-Confidence

Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications and the Arts

Office of the eSafety Commissioner

PROJECT FRICTION PROTOCOL: Digital Identity Integration Roadmap 2025–2028

Classification: SECRET // AUSTEO

Executive Summary

Project Friction Protocol operationalises the Commonwealth’s commitment to online safety by aligning commercial platform accountability with the National Digital Identity System. The Program will ensure that by FY27–28, participation in the digital economy is secured through credential-linked identity, delivering both enhanced safety outcomes for children and a unified fraud-prevention lattice.

Phase Timeline

Phase I – December 2025: Platform Enforcement Commences

- Social Media Minimum Age (SMMA) legislation enters force.

- Platforms required to implement age assurance for all Australian account holders.

- Compliance monitoring initiated; penalty framework (A$49.5m per breach) publicised to incentivise strict adherence.

- Anticipated outcome: patchwork verification systems deployed (ID uploads, biometric checks, third-party tokens).

Phase II – Q1–Q3 2026: User Friction Accumulates

- Multiple, inconsistent verification pathways generate user frustration.

- High-profile reporting of data leaks from offshore verifiers to highlight risks of private-sector control.

- Platforms lobby for streamlined government solution; parent organisations petition for “one login” credential.

- Media campaign: “Australians deserve convenience and protection.”

Phase III – Q4 2026: Trustmark Credential Deployment

- Government unveils the Digital ID Trustmark as the single verification gateway under the Digital ID Act 2024.

- Accredited providers issue reusable “Over-16” and “Adult” tokens.

- Initial voluntary uptake incentivised by “one-tap login” across banks, telcos, and government services.

- Platforms rapidly migrate to Trustmark integration to reduce compliance liability.

Phase IV – 2027: Network Hygiene & Friction Protocols

- Major ISPs (Telstra, Optus, NBN Co) deploy firmware and network updates under the “Secure Web Initiative.”

- VPN and Tor exit-node IP ranges subjected to adaptive throttling (baseline 56kbps equivalent) after non-accredited site access.

- VPS and foreign hosting providers assigned elevated “fraud risk” scores, limiting payment processing.

- Narrative emphasis: “Australians protected from scams and foreign interference.”

Phase V – 2027/28: De Facto Universal Digital ID Uptake

- 92–96% enrolment projected, without legal compulsion.

- Remaining anonymous access relegated to technically sophisticated minorities (mesh nets, pirate radio, foreign satellites).

- Statistical outcome: the Australian public regards Digital ID authentication as the “normal” mode of internet use.

- Policy declaration by Prime Minister: “Australia now leads the world in safe, seamless, and secure online experiences.”

Key Risks and Mitigations

Risk: Public resistance framed as “loss of privacy and anonymity.”

Mitigation: Promote Digital ID as voluntary and convenient; highlight child-safety and anti-scam outcomes.

Risk: Platform non-compliance due to cost burden.

Mitigation: Liability exposure via Privacy Act; incentivise through Trustmark adoption as low-cost compliance pathway.

Risk: Underground anonymity networks.

Mitigation: Monitor via ACMA spectrum surveillance and AFP cyber division; ensure marginalisation by maintaining mainstream convenience pathways.

End State (FY27–28)

The Government achieves a secure, identity-linked digital ecosystem in which:

- All significant platforms enforce account-level identity assurance.

- Network-level friction makes anonymity tools impractical for the majority.

- Digital ID Trustmark is ubiquitous across digital commerce, government services, and communications.

- Public perception aligns Digital ID with safety and convenience, not compulsion.

Strategic Outcome: Australians cannot meaningfully participate online without being credentialed.

Prepared by:

Policy Integration Division, Office of the eSafety Commissioner

Approved by: Deputy Secretary (Digital Trust and Safety)

Distribution: PM&C, Home Affairs, Defence, Attorney-General’s Department, AFP, ACMA."