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Building trust online with age verification

Building trust online with age verification
 

By Kaarel Kotkas, CEO and founder, Veriff

Age verification regulations are becoming a top priority around the globe. In the U.S., new state laws are set to take effect soon in Alabama and Oklahoma, followed by Florida, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Georgia in 2025. There is also an ongoing federal legislative effort to safeguard minors online with initiatives such as KOSA. Each law is being enacted to regulate the accessibility of digital content and services, particularly those that could harm minors. For example, Florida’s House Bill 3 will require social media platforms to terminate accounts for minors younger than 14. According to the law, websites with adult content requiring users 18+ must also offer the option of “anonymous age verification.”

Other parts of the world have also taken action, including Germany, Spain, France, and the EU focusing more on Big Tech. This spring, the European Commission opened an investigation into whether social media giant Meta’s platform age assurance methods are robust enough or risk children bypassing the measures.

The surge in legislative initiatives and heightened focus on age verification mark a critical juncture in the quest for safe online experiences for minors. Implementing accurate, frictionless safeguarding protocols and tools is keyl to ensuring compliance with legal frameworks and that virtual environments are safe for users of all ages. In parallel, businesses must be proactive and get ahead of the regulations before they become mandatory. Businesses that act with integrity preserve the safety of consumers and their brands. Failing to act now could lead to significant consequences, including lengthy litigation processes, loss of trust, and fines or limits on doing business online.

Why do we need age verification?

As businesses and consumers spend more time online, user safety needs to be a focus, particularly for vulnerable groups like minors. Unrestricted access to digital content, including violence, pornography, or content prompting terrorism, has become more common and easily accessible to almost anyone. At the same time, ensuring a person’s ability to access digital content is a notable concern. There are increasing calls for social media platform reform due to negative impacts on children.

Access to restricted and disturbing content is usually one search and a mouse click away. For instance, in January, AI-generated deepfake pornographic images of Taylor Swift circulated online, prompting Swifties to act to get the pictures removed. One of the images was viewed 47 million times before it was taken down.

Content moderation is complex for many websites, social media, and gaming platforms. For one, deepfake technology has become increasingly sophisticated, making it nearly impossible to detect with the naked eye. In addition, platforms are tasked with identifying certain illegal content while allowing access to other types of content deemed appropriate to individuals of a certain age. This has proven challenging as more minors, especially those under 16, have internet access and spend more time in front of screens. Also, as minors often don’t have government-issued IDs, it is typically left up to the user to be truthful about their age when entering a site or game.

As additional laws are enforced, age verification and estimation technologies can help businesses operate more efficiently and assure parents that their children are safer online. Age estimation is a low-friction solution that uses facial biometric analysis to estimate a user’s age without requiring the user to share their identity documents. It supports inclusivity as it allows age-appropriate users who do not have an approved or supported identity document to gain access to goods and services.

For instance, by leveraging an age estimation solution, alcohol delivery services can quickly determine if a potential user is above the legal age. Gaming platforms can more efficiently onboard new players if they can seamlessly determine which age group to put them in and, thus, which restrictions should be in place. Social media platforms can safely bring in users and take necessary steps to comply with laws safeguarding children online.

Such age verification and estimation technologies help keep children safe from adults pretending to be children and accessing online communities designed for minors.

Navigating the hurdles of age verification

One of the first regulations, the Louisiana age verification law, kicked off a U.S.-wide trend towards stricter age verification online. More than one-third (19) of the states in the U.S. have pending regulations around age verification, and this is only expected to increase. However, many states face an uphill battle to enactment, with judges in places like Mississippi and Ohio blocking laws requiring age verification. Amid a convergence of ideals between judges, regulators, and the general public, a regulatory patchwork of state-level rules will force businesses to navigate these laws state-by-state, potentially leading to uncertainty and increased operational costs.

In the U.K., the Office of Communications (Ofcom) proposed measures to enhance online safety for children in its Children’s Safety Codes of Practice. These are in response to the Online Safety Act, which sets requirements for online platforms regarding access for minors.

Fundamentally, age verification laws are in place to safeguard the most vulnerable users from online harm. Also, many of these laws require companies to adjust to regulatory change quickly. Identity verification technology providers and businesses will need to remain agile to ensure compliance with evolving regulations, from changing how personal data is processed to adhere to privacy laws to ensuring their age verification technology is compliant.

Future proofing your business to get ahead of age verification regulations

Age verification is vital for any business offering a product or service with a minimum age requirement. Here are some actionable insights for businesses to follow to get ahead of the laws:

  • Familiarize yourself with laws and regulations. This includes understanding the scope, the specific age thresholds for different types of content, authorized age verification measures, and the penalties for non-compliance. Informed legal counsel can provide valuable guidance in this area.
  • Assess current practices and identify gaps. This process ranges from reviewing website design and user registration processes to specific content access controls. It’s important to remember that age verification is not a one-size-fits-all solution; what works for one business in one jurisdiction may not work for another.
  • Train your staff. Employees should understand the importance of age verification, know how to use the systems in place, and be able to handle any issues that arise, particularly those outlined in the applicable laws or regulations. Regular training sessions help ensure that staff are up-to-date with the latest practices and regulations.
  • Stay up-to-date. As laws and technologies constantly evolve, businesses need to stay ahead of these changes to remain compliant and efficient. Regular audits can come in handy and help identify any issues early, allowing for timely rectification.

Today, technology-driven solutions push the envelope regarding age verification in online environments. Recent research revealed that 39% of consumers view facial biometrics authentication as the most secure method of logging into an online service. As an alternative to the traditional IDV-based age check approach, age estimation solutions are picking up pace. These solutions empower businesses and consumers with a low-friction alternative, enabling users to take a selfie to estimate their age without needing to share their identity documents.

Age verification solutions provide businesses with greater accuracy and reliability in assessing the age of their users. When a business implements age checks, it also helps boost parent’s trust in its brand. It gives them confidence that companies are acting in the best interest of their child. Additionally, these solutions provide consumers with an efficient way to access services securely, especially as the solutions become more accurate and reliable.

Tech advancements in AI and biometric facial analysis will continue to drive progress for age estimation and verification capabilities. Businesses and online service providers will eventually provide a safe, secure, and genuine user experience with minimal friction to the customer journey. Eventually we are moving towards the world of reusable identity where online users only need to verify their identity once, with their data securely stored in a digital identity vault.

About the author

Kaarel Kotkas is the CEO and founder of Veriff.

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