You might be wondering, what is age verification? It is the process of confirming a person’s age based on an analysis of their facial features using artificial intelligence or more specifically, computer vision.
An age analysis tool may be implemented to ensure child protection online and in-store. It helps to prevent a child’s access to age restricted goods and services such as alcohol and online dating. These restrictions are usually imposed by governments on businesses that provide adult oriented goods or services.
Businesses can also freely adopt such restrictions to add extra age safeguards. Note that there isn’t a set legal age requirement globally. This is attributed to the fact that the minimum age threshold varies between countries. It’s also dependent on the type of goods or services on offer.
Age verification checks have been part of our lives for a very long time. It’s common for a store clerk to check the details on your ID before you buy certain products. When it comes to cinemas, they tend to verify the age of younger looking members of the audience before letting them in.
How Age Verification Works
Age verification works through a process referred to as face analysis technology. This technology works through the use of deep learning algorithms. The algorithms help in estimating a person’s age by analyzing their facial features.
Note that the algorithms are trained on large pre-existing data sets of faces. This enables them to learn the facial features denotative of every age group. The larger your data set, the more accurate the software will be in estimating a person’s age. The only data that’s provided by the technology is information pertaining to the user’s age. There is no collection or gathering of personal data.
A good example is how age verification works in offline spaces at self-service checkouts. Instead of calling over an employee, age verification software built into the checkout enables you to self-verify your age. This helps to streamline the whole checkout process.
The age verification software also works by accurately flagging underage visitors. It only allows those above the required age to pass through. A request for ID verification can appear upon your entry to a website, when browsing, or at the beginning when registering an account.
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Digital Age Verification VS Manual Age Checks
Since the emergence of adult-oriented services and products, age verification has become a common practice. Alcohol and tobacco stores, for instance, don’t sell to minors. According to the regulations by the Food and Drug Administration, 18 years is the minimum age for buying and selling tobacco products. These restrictions make it illegal to sell to minors.
Such age verification solutions can work perfectly in offline stores. That’s because the physical presence of the client makes it easy to assess their identity. This, however, becomes challenging when it comes to online stores.
Sure, these minors’ protection rules apply to digital businesses. But the situation becomes alarming in the digital space since most vendors only ask for a user-name and the password. So there is an immense need to protect minors from engaging in such online platforms.
The silver lining, however, is that online age verification solutions have seen a constant evolution. This is especially so with the advent of intelligent solutions. With each evolution, the age verification of clients has been getting easier. The development of biometrics technology and intelligent solutions for identity has increased child protection.
Secure age verification solutions are mostly backed with AI and machine learning. They help to smartly identify if a person behind an account is really an adult or a minor.
Popular Age Verification Methods
Online age verification has become part of online browsing. There are instances where age verification is necessary. It is, for instance, necessary when accessing explicit content. The most common ways used to confirm one’s age online are;
- Self-declaration. This is one of the simplest methods and it usually appears in the form of a pop-up window. It is where a user is required to confirm being over a certain age.
- Birth data validation. This is a widely used method where you provide your date of birth so as to proceed with your actions on the internet.
These age verification processes are extremely easy, quick, and don’t require a lot of actions. Now these characteristics might seem like an advantage. But they are also an indication of possible ineffectiveness of the said methods.
That’s because it’s easy for minors to lie and omit limitations by confirming that they are of a certain age. They can, for instance, submit a fake date of birth, something that can’t be controlled by service providers.
This might not seem too serious when it comes to underage people accessing age-restricted items. The issue must, however, be treated more cautiously when it comes to services like online gambling and online dating. That’s because actively using such services by children results in exposing them to online hazards.
Industries Where Age Verification is Required
The age verification software is the perfect solution for organizations that need to use consumer age verification. Any business that sells adult products online or in-store is legally required to verify a consumer’s age.
Due to increased cases of minors accessing the internet, legislation has become more stringent and is being applied on a global scale. Here are industries where the age verification technology must be applied;
Online
- Dating sites
- Weapon supplies
- Pornography sites
- Children e-learning sites
Offline
- Retail and convenience stores
- Smart vending machines that sell alcohol and cannabis
- Hospitality services like bars, night-clubs, and entertainment venues
How Age Verification Software Complies with Government Age Based Restrictions
Age verification regulations have been here for a long time, but the online world is just beginning to catch up. The long used ‘please confirm that you are 18+’ box-ticking exercise is no longer a sufficient method. Businesses now have to adhere to the new legal requirements set out by regulatory authorities.
The age estimation software allows organizations to comply with these regulations. That’s because they can supply accurate and anonymous age verification while protecting individuals’ privacy. Below are examples of age-based regulations;
- PACT. It requires retailers supplying adult products like tobacco to use age verification software in pre-sale checks.
- COPPA. This is a federal law in the United States of America. The law limits the collection and use of personal information about children under 13 years by the operators of internet services.
- The Digital Economy Act 2017. This is an act in the United Kingdom that prevents pornographic materials from becoming accessible on the internet to underage people.
Final Take Away
In conclusion, age verification is the need of the hour. It helps in protecting children from the adverse effects of age restricted goods and services.
Merchants have the corporate social responsibility of protecting children by restricting what they have access to. Online age verification solutions are more seamless methods in practicing age verification protocols.
