Online age verification is a topic that has gained significant attention in recent years, with numerous states and countries considering implementing age verification requirements for internet users. The primary focus of these laws is to protect children from the potential dangers of the online world. The challenge lies in finding a solution that can verify users’ ages without compromising their privacy or revealing intimate details about their online activities.
Several states in the US, have already passed laws setting rules for underage users on social media platforms. Additionally, multiple federal bills addressing online age verification are under consideration, both in the US and in other countries such as the UK. Some of these laws require specific features from age verification tools, while others penalize websites for allowing underage users without explicitly mandating verification.
Age verification is not entirely new, as laws like the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) in the US already impose special rules for individuals under the age of 13. Many internet users, including those on major platforms like YouTube and Facebook, have encountered age verification prompts when accessing adult content or creating accounts. However, these measures are often easy to circumvent, leading lawmakers to call for more robust verification methods.
There are different categories of age verification systems. The most common option involves relying on a trusted third party that can verify users’ identities, such as validating a credit card or government-issued ID. Another approach, already used by platforms like Facebook and Instagram, utilizes facial recognition technology to estimate a user’s age. Some experimental methods propose inferring age based on online activity, analyzing browsing history, or employing AI algorithms to detect indications of age.
However, each of these methods has significant flaws. Credit card verification or government-issued ID checks may exclude certain individuals who do not possess these forms of identification, particularly those with lower incomes. Moreover, children can easily access cards lying around the house to verify their age falsely. Facial recognition systems, while convenient, may not accurately identify the age of an individual and can exhibit biases based on factors such as gender, skin tone, or facial differences. Inference-based methods that analyze browsing history raise concerns about intrusive digital surveillance and the effectiveness of accurately estimating age.
Some proposed solutions aim to strike a balance between age verification and privacy. For instance, France’s National Commission on Informatics and Liberty (CNIL) collaborated with Professor Olivier Blazy to develop a system that minimizes the disclosure of personal information while verifying age. This system utilizes an ephemeral “token” that sends a challenge to the user’s device when accessing an age-restricted website. The challenge is then relayed to a third-party service, such as a bank or digital ID provider, which verifies the user’s age without revealing specific details to the website.
However, even with complex solutions like this, challenges remain. Users can bypass location-specific verification systems by using virtual private networks (VPNs) to conceal their location, rendering the verification process ineffective. Additionally, concerns about surveillance and data privacy persist, as implementing age verification systems often involves collecting and storing sensitive biometric data, which could be targeted by malicious actors.
Privacy advocates argue that all age verification solutions are essentially surveillance systems that could further erode online privacy. They express concerns that implementing such systems would legitimize and perpetuate the existing surveillance regime, compromising individuals’ rights to access information without unmasking or identifying themselves.
The US court system has previously struck down efforts to implement mandatory age verification on First Amendment grounds, citing concerns about freedom of expression and the potential for overreach. Critics argue that requiring individuals to prove their age before accessing certain websites or content could be seen as a form of censorship, inhibiting the free flow of information and stifling creativity.
There is also the issue of international cooperation and consistency in implementing online age verification. The internet knows no borders, and different countries have varying legal frameworks and cultural norms. Developing a unified system that satisfies the requirements of multiple jurisdictions and respects different cultural perspectives on privacy and age-related regulations is a complex task.
In conclusion, online age verification is a complex and multifaceted issue. While the intent to protect children from online harms is laudable, finding a balance between age verification and privacy rights poses significant challenges. The development of effective and privacy-respecting age verification systems requires careful consideration of technological capabilities, legal and ethical implications, and the potential impact on individual freedoms. Striking the right balance will require collaboration between policymakers, technology experts, privacy advocates, and internet users to ensure that any implemented solutions effectively protect minors while respecting privacy and civil liberties.
Also see; EU AI Act: The World’s First Legislation Regarding AI Is About To Be Adopted
