The digital arena in 2025 presents a stark contrast of immense opportunity and significant peril. Fortunes are built with a click, yet identities can vanish just as swiftly, leaving behind a trail of financial wreckage. In such a world, the simple handshake of a digital transaction demands more than blind faith. It requires the discerning eye of robust age and identity verification – the crucial lens through which genuine connection is separated from menace.
This whitepaper cuts through the noise to deliver actionable intelligence on age and identity verification. We’ll explore the shifting regulatory sands, the transformative power of emerging technologies, and, most importantly, how a sophisticated verification strategy can directly address your critical business challenges.
The digital underbelly is getting exponentially more expensive. According to Statista, in 2024 alone, cybercrime bled the United States an estimated $452.3 billion. But hold onto your data – projections paint an even grimmer picture, forecasting a staggering climb to $1.82 trillion in cybercrime costs by 2028. This isn’t a gradual incline; it’s a runaway train of financial risk, demanding immediate and robust defenses.
- What Is Age Verification?
- What Is an Online Age Verification System?
- How is Age Verification Related to Identity Verification?
- A Look at Contemporary Systems [Traditional Methods]
- Download an App
- Reputation Check for Devices
- An Official ID Photo
- Verification of Documents
- Take a Selfie
- Verifying the Identity
- Why Basic Age Verification Measures Don’t Work
- Understanding Age & Identity Verification
- Fundamentals of Age & Identity Verification
- What Counts as “Identity” in Digital Spaces
- Evolution of Verification Techniques (Pre-Digital, Digital, AI-Driven)
- Importance of Separating Age-Based Verification from Full Identity Verification
- Why Age Verification Is Important
- Cyberbullying
- Financial Losses
- Addiction
- Creating a Safer Environment for Children
- The following approaches should be used:
- Industries that Rely on Verification
- The Need for Age and Identity Verification
- Suitable Areas for Age and Identity Verification
- Opening an Account
- Onboarding New Customers
- Onboarding Employees
- Common Methods of Age/ID Verification
- Method 1: Self-Confirmation/Age Declaration (Age Verification Method)
- Method 2: Hardline Identification Utilizing Government Identification (Identification Method)
- Submitting a Copy of a Government-Issued ID
- Using an eID Card Issued by the Government
- Method 3: Using Non-Government and Current Online Database for Age Verification/Identification (Age Verification/Identification Method)
- Method 4: Utilizing an eID Card from a Non-Government Third Party for Age Verification/Identification (Age and Identity Verification Method)
- Method 5: Using Biometrics (Age and Identity Verification Method)
- Method 6: Local Device Based Execution of AI and Data Processing for Estimating an Age (Age Estimation)
- Method 7: Semantic Analysis and Knowledge-Based Authentication (Age Estimation Method)
- Method 8: Parental Authority (Age and Identity Verification Method)
- Evaluation of Crucial Age Assurance Techniques
- Legal & Compliance Requirements
- GDPR Compliance Guidance
- KYC and AML for Financial Institutions
- Anti-Money Laundering
- Benefits of Implementing Proper Verification
- Challenges in Implementation
- Choosing the Right Verification Solution for Your Business
- How to Evaluate a Verification Solution
- Manual vs. Automated vs. AI-based
- ROI Model Template
- Types of Identity Providers
- The Future of Age and Identity Verification Technologies
- Conclusion
What Is Age Verification?
Age verification, at its core, is the process of confirming that an individual meets a specific age threshold. This is crucial in a multitude of contexts, particularly in industries dealing with age-restricted goods, services, or content. Historically, this might have involved a simple visual check of an identification document or an age declaration. However, the digital realm necessitates more sophisticated and reliable methods.
Online identity verification is essential for creating safer, more engaging digital experiences, but it hasn’t been widely used yet. How websites check age and IDs is frequently difficult from a user-experience (UX) perspective and is known to have a negative impact on account activation rates. Another issue is privacy, as the majority of the market’s leading companies are cloud-based providers who handle sensitive data on their own servers.
In the online world, age verification seeks to replicate and enhance these traditional checks. It leverages technology to ascertain that a user claiming to be of a certain age truly is. This can range from basic self-declarations to advanced systems that analyze provided documentation or utilize biometric data. The fundamental purpose remains the same: to prevent minors from accessing products or services that are legally restricted to adults. This not only ensures compliance with regulations but also underscores a commitment to responsible business practices and the protection of vulnerable individuals.
What Is an Online Age Verification System?
An online age verification system represents a technological evolution of traditional age checks, specifically designed for the digital landscape. Unlike manual processes, these systems employ various digital tools and techniques to verify a user’s age remotely and efficiently.
The sophistication of these systems can vary significantly, ranging from simple age-gate pop-ups that rely on user self-declaration to complex platforms that integrate multiple data points and advanced analytics.
At its core, an online age verification system aims to provide a reliable and scalable method for businesses to confirm the age of their users without the need for physical interaction. This is particularly crucial for ecommerce platforms, online gaming sites, and other digital services where age restrictions are legally mandated or deemed necessary for responsible operation.
A robust online age verification system typically involves several key components:
- User Input Mechanisms: This can include requiring users to enter their date of birth, upload identification documents (like driver’s licenses or passports), or utilize digital identity credentials.
- Data Processing and Analysis: The system then processes the provided information, which may involve optical character recognition (OCR) to extract data from documents, database lookups to verify information against trusted sources, or even biometric analysis to confirm the authenticity of an ID.
- Verification Logic: Based on the processed data, the system applies predefined rules and algorithms to determine if the user meets the required age threshold.
- Outcome Reporting: Finally, the system provides a clear outcome – whether the age verification was successful or failed – allowing the business to grant or restrict access accordingly.
The benefits of implementing a dedicated online age verification system are manifold, including enhanced accuracy compared to manual checks, scalability to handle a large volume of users, and the ability to integrate seamlessly into existing online platforms. As the digital world continues to expand, these systems are becoming increasingly vital for businesses operating in age-sensitive sectors.
How is Age Verification Related to Identity Verification?
While often discussed in conjunction, age verification and identity verification serve distinct, though sometimes overlapping, purposes. Age verification, as we’ve established, focuses specifically on confirming that an individual has reached a particular age threshold. Identity verification, on the other hand, is a broader process aimed at confirming that an individual is who they claim to be.
Think of it this way: age verification answers the question “Are you old enough?”, while identity verification answers “Are you the person you say you are?”.
The connection arises because age verification often relies on identity documents (like a driver’s license or passport) as a primary source of information to ascertain the date of birth. In this context, a basic level of identity verification – ensuring the document is genuine and belongs to the user – becomes a prerequisite for accurate age verification.
However, it’s crucial to understand that verifying someone’s identity doesn’t always equate to verifying their age, and vice versa. For instance, a system might confirm that a provided ID is valid without specifically extracting and validating the date of birth for age-restricted access.
In practice, the most robust and reliable age verification processes often incorporate elements of identity verification to enhance accuracy and prevent fraud. By confirming the authenticity of the ID document and ensuring it belongs to the individual providing it, businesses can have greater confidence in the age data derived from that document.
Furthermore, the increasing sophistication of online fraud, including the use of fake IDs, necessitates a closer integration of age and identity verification techniques.
In essence, while age verification has a specific focus on age thresholds, it frequently intersects with identity verification as a means to achieve greater accuracy and security in the digital realm. The optimal approach often involves leveraging identity verification processes to bolster the reliability of age verification outcomes.
A Look at Contemporary Systems [Traditional Methods]
A contemporary identity verification process is necessary for banks, corporations, government organizations, and other organizations that must promptly and securely onboard a significant number of individuals. And for a smooth user experience, these companies should make sure that an ID proofing solution can be easily connected with their own apps, websites, or other digital properties.
Here is how online identity verification works:
1. Download an App
Customers, staff, residents, or other users often download your app onto a mobile device with a high-resolution camera. Online ID scanning app includes identity proofing in it.
2. Reputation Check for Devices
Artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities built into mobile apps check that the device being used is not stolen and doesn’t have a history of participating in shady business dealings. By doing this, legitimate credentials cannot be stolen.
3. An Official ID Photo
An official identity document, such as a passport, driver’s license, or national ID card, must be captured by users. A significant portion of the user’s personal data, including name and address, is pre-populated in the customer application form.
4. Verification of Documents
The app evaluates the legitimacy of the document in real-time, and FTx Identity accepts a variety of ID documents from over 180 countries.
5. Take a Selfie
A live image rather than a photo of a photo is ensured using AI technologies.
6. Verifying the Identity
The crucial last step is this one. In order to authenticate the user’s identity, effective solutions use AI to compare the selfie and the image on the identity document.
Why Basic Age Verification Measures Don’t Work
In an era defined by sophisticated digital interactions and increasingly stringent regulations, relying on basic age verification measures is akin to building a sandcastle against the tide. While seemingly simple and cost-effective on the surface, these rudimentary approaches are riddled with vulnerabilities and fail to provide the robust assurance required in today’s landscape.
One of the most glaring weaknesses is the ease of circumvention. A simple age-gate pop-up, for instance, presents no real barrier to a determined minor who can simply click “yes” without any verification whatsoever. Similarly, relying solely on self-declared dates of birth during account creation offers no guarantee of accuracy.
Furthermore, basic methods offer no protection against fraudulent activities. Fake identification documents are becoming increasingly sophisticated and readily available, making manual inspection less reliable. Digital manipulation of documents is also a growing concern, easily bypassing simple visual checks.
Lack of accountability is another significant drawback. When age verification relies solely on the user’s word, there’s no way to hold them accountable for misrepresenting their age. This lack of verifiable data can lead to compliance issues and potential legal ramifications for businesses.
Moreover, basic measures often provide a poor user experience. Repeatedly encountering age-gate pop-ups can be frustrating for legitimate adult users. Cumbersome manual processes, especially in online onboarding, can lead to high drop-off rates as users abandon the process due to inconvenience.
Scalability is also a major limitation. Manual checks are inherently difficult to scale as user volumes grow. This can create bottlenecks and inefficiencies, particularly for online businesses with a global reach.
Finally, basic age verification often falls short of meeting evolving regulatory requirements. Governments worldwide are increasingly mandating more stringent measures to protect minors online. Relying on inadequate methods can lead to significant fines, legal challenges, and reputational damage.
Understanding Age & Identity Verification
To navigate the landscape of digital trust and safety effectively, it’s crucial to establish clear definitions and understand the core differences between age verification and identity verification. While they often work in tandem, their primary objectives and the scope of information they seek to confirm differ significantly.
1. Age Verification: This is the process of confirming that an individual meets a specific age threshold. The primary goal is to ascertain whether a user is old enough to access age-restricted goods, services, or content. The outcome is typically a binary decision: the user is either above the required age or not. The focus is narrowly on the date of birth or an age range.
2. Identity Verification: This is a broader process focused on confirming that an individual is who they claim to be. It involves validating a person’s attributes and credentials against trusted sources to establish their unique identity. This process often involves verifying various personal details, including name, address, date of birth, and potentially biometric data, to ensure the user is a real and distinct individual. The outcome is establishing a level of assurance that the user’s claimed identity is genuine.
The core difference lies in the scope of the inquiry. Age verification has a singular focus on age, while identity verification aims to establish the authenticity of an individual’s overall identity. While age is often a component of identity, verifying an identity involves a more comprehensive assessment.
Fundamentals of Age & Identity Verification
In the digital realm, verifying age and identity requires a nuanced understanding of what constitutes verifiable information and how technology facilitates this process. The fundamentals revolve around definitions, the evolving nature of “identity,” and the critical distinction between age-based and full identity verification.
- Digital Age Verification: The process of using electronic methods to reliably ascertain that a user meets a specific age threshold for accessing online content, services, or purchasing goods. This often involves analyzing digital documents, utilizing age estimation technologies, or leveraging digital identity credentials.
What Counts as “Identity” in Digital Spaces
In the physical world, identity is often tied to physical documents like passports and driver’s licenses. In digital spaces, “identity” is more fluid and multifaceted. It can encompass:
- Personally Identifiable Information (PII): This includes data like name, address, date of birth, email address, phone number, and social security numbers.
- Digital Credentials: These are electronic representations of identity, such as digital IDs, e-passports, and verified digital wallets.
- Biometric Data: Unique biological characteristics like fingerprints, facial scans, and iris patterns used for authentication and identification.
- Behavioral Data: Patterns in how users interact with digital services, which can be analyzed to detect anomalies and potential fraud.
Evolution of Verification Techniques (Pre-Digital, Digital, AI-Driven)
Verification techniques have evolved significantly:
- Pre-digital: Primarily relied on physical documents and human judgment. This was often slow, prone to error, and easily susceptible to forgery.
- Digital: Introduced databases, digital document scanning, and basic online checks. This improved efficiency and scalability but still faced challenges with sophisticated fraud.
- AI-driven: Leverages artificial intelligence and machine learning to analyze documents, detect anomalies, perform biometric matching, and assess risk in real-time. This offers enhanced accuracy, speed, and fraud detection capabilities.
Importance of Separating Age-Based Verification from Full Identity Verification
While age is a component of identity, it’s crucial to recognize when a full identity verification process is necessary versus a targeted age verification. Applying a full KYC-level identity check for every age-restricted access point can create unnecessary friction and deter legitimate users. Conversely, relying on flimsy age checks where robust verification is needed can lead to compliance issues and safety risks.
The key is to adopt a risk-based approach. For low-risk scenarios where only age is the primary concern, a streamlined age verification process might suffice. However, for higher-risk transactions or services, a more comprehensive identity verification that includes age validation is essential. Understanding this distinction allows businesses to implement proportionate and effective verification measures.
Why Age Verification Is Important
Through a variety of channels, the internet reaches people from all socioeconomic backgrounds. In the modern world, we are surrounded by internet-enabled gadgets and platforms that we use for a variety of purposes, including education, entertainment, and social contact, just to name a few. Children were using the internet much more frequently when lockdowns brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic were in place. They are using it to access online learning resources, social media, and game apps.
The use of the internet by children can help them be more mentally and socially healthy in general. The internet serves as a formidable instrument for communication and allows children the chance to build solid social networks that can improve their wellbeing. Additionally, it gives children access to many materials that support their mental development.
However, children who use the internet are also more susceptible to many forms of online harm, which requires attention.
Online risks that children can encounter when using the internet include:
Cyberbullying
The act of bullying someone online is known as cyberbullying. This may involve, but is not limited to, intimidating and harassing someone via text messages or other channels, threatening to subject someone to sexual exploitation and abuse, inflicting emotional harm by trolling and making disparaging comments, and coercing someone into posting images or videos online, among other things.
Children may occasionally be persuaded to meet the stalker online, which puts them in danger of sexual assault, child trafficking, and so on.
Financial Losses
Financial fraud could be involved. Such frauds can take place while carrying out money transactions on websites for gaming, ecommerce, and other forms of entertainment. This could also apply to situations in which children who get dependent on particular services, like gaming apps, wind up transacting enormous sums of money.
Addiction
Children who have easy access to the digital world are also more likely to become addicted to social media and online gaming. Their overall health is harmed by such addictions, which can also cause sleep problems, mental health issues, and body anxieties.
Age-Restricted Goods, Services, and Content Access
- Products: Alcohol, tobacco, etc.
- Services: Online gaming and adult services are available on websites and apps, putting children at risk of sex grooming.
- Content: Gaming, adult movie websites, sexual material, etc.
Processing of Personal Information and Ad Targeting
The processing and use of children’s personal data acquired by data fiduciaries, such as social media intermediaries, for marketing and product targeting is possible. The information gathered can also be sold or shared with other parties. As a result, there is a very real chance that children’s privacy will be violated.
In addition, many children may not completely comprehend the notion of data privacy, so even if they give their consent for the use of their data, that consent may not be informed. Therefore, it is important to highlight the principles of data minimization and purpose limitation.
Creating a Safer Environment for Children
In light of the aforementioned online dangers, it is crucial to establish and provide a safer online environment for children and to safeguard their safety and wellbeing. Recent international developments in this area include the introduction of the Kids Internet Design and Safety Act and the Children and Teens’ Online Privacy Protection Act in the United States Congress, the release of Age Appropriate Design by the United Kingdom’s (UK) Information Commissioner as a code of practice for online services, and consideration of the Online Harms Bill by the UK parliament.
Furthermore, a resolution on children’s digital rights was also adopted by the Global Privacy Assembly. Children’s online gaming apps are now subject to restrictions imposed by the Chinese government.
Due to these developments, a number of data fiduciaries have come under fire, and new information has also revealed how hazardous social media can be for underage users. Since these developments, several of them have begun to take actions like banning marketing directed at minors and providing young users with greater agency.
However, age verification has been recognized as a key tool that will force data fiduciaries to implement policies that will give children a safer internet in order to create a strong protective framework against the mentioned online harms.
Furthermore, age verification will enable data fiduciaries to personalize information and content for specific age groups in addition to assisting them in preserving children’s personal information and ensuring their safety from online damage.
For instance, social media sites could use child safety features to limit the content that children can access, search engines may limit the display of alcohol or cigarette advertisements, or an online gaming company could limit access to its services to a specific time period.
While age verification can’t guarantee that all children will be protected from all online risks, it does offer a component of the solution that can be used to give them a safer online experience.
Understanding the various age verification options is crucial so that data fiduciaries can choose the best method or set of procedures to apply depending on the situation, such as the socioeconomic condition of users, their level of awareness, etc.
The following approaches should be used:
- Have privacy awareness and be mindful of data minimization.
- Easy to use and don’t overwhelm data fiduciaries.
- Don’t restrict the options that the internet offers children.
- The aim is to develop an age assurance system that is effective at shielding children from online danger, respects people’s privacy, is simple enough for children to use, is accurate, and is feasible for widespread use.
While some techniques are used to confirm age, others can be used to determine an individual’s age or age range. Age assurance refers to both age estimation and verification. Such technologies are covered in detail in the following section.
Industries that Rely on Verification
The need for robust age and identity verification spans a wide array of industries, each with its unique set of drivers, from regulatory mandates to the imperative of ensuring safety and preventing fraud. Here are some key sectors where these processes are paramount:
- Ecommerce & Online Marketplaces: Online retailers selling age-restricted goods like alcohol, tobacco, vaping products, and certain over-the-counter medications must implement stringent age verification at the point of purchase and often upon delivery. Marketplaces hosting diverse sellers also need identity verification to ensure the legitimacy of vendors and prevent the sale of illicit or age-inappropriate items.
- Online Gambling & Gaming Platforms: These platforms face strict regulations requiring them to verify the age of users to prevent underage gambling and comply with licensing requirements. Identity verification is also crucial to prevent fraud and money laundering and ensure fair play.
- Alcohol, Tobacco, and Vape Retail: Whether online or brick-and-mortar, businesses in this sector are legally obligated to verify the age of purchasers. Robust systems are needed for online sales, and increasingly sophisticated methods are being explored for in-person transactions as well.
- Healthcare & Telemedicine: Verifying the identity of patients is critical for maintaining privacy, security, and the integrity of medical records. Age verification might also be necessary for certain treatments or access to specific health-related content. Telemedicine platforms, in particular, rely heavily on digital identity verification to ensure the person receiving care is who they claim to be.
- Financial Services & Crypto Exchanges: These industries are heavily regulated and require stringent identity verification (KYC) and age verification to prevent fraud, money laundering, and other illicit activities. Crypto exchanges, dealing with digital assets, face unique challenges in verifying the identity and age of their users in a decentralized environment.
- Social Media & Adult Content Platforms: Social media platforms need to verify the age of users to enforce community guidelines, prevent the spread of inappropriate content to minors, and ensure a safe online environment. Adult content platforms have a clear legal and ethical obligation to restrict access to individuals above the legal age.
- Ride-Share & Delivery Services: While perhaps less obvious, identity verification is crucial for both drivers and riders in ride-sharing services to ensure safety and accountability. Delivery services, especially those handling age-restricted goods, also require age verification at the point of delivery.
The Need for Age and Identity Verification
The already rapidly growing number of remote workers and shoppers is increasing as a result of the global coronavirus outbreak. Because millions more people were working from home, shopping online, and transacting in other ways in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, almost every business began dealing with an increase in the number of identities they needed to verify online.
Almost every remote use case can benefit from an identity proofing solution’s combination of robust security and enjoyable user interfaces. Enterprises, consumer marketers, financial institutions, and governmental organizations should investigate contemporary identity proofing.
As we go through this ongoing health crisis, the number of identities you need to monitor and verify will rise. After the pandemic completely passes, the population of distant users will also continue to grow as individuals grow accustomed to having constant connectivity. Although some of these early procedures have changed, many of the ID proofing solutions available today are still just marginally improved versions of earlier high-friction/low-security approaches. Therefore, you should look for a platform that uses modern identity verification methods.
Suitable Areas for Age and Identity Verification
Your users are counting on you to keep their identities safe and are holding you accountable. Users increasingly assume you are responsible for safeguarding their identity and accountable for the consequences of a breach, whether they are accessing financial services, government programs, business VPNs (virtual private networks), or ecommerce websites.
Adding layers of the highest assurance security measures makes sense from that perspective.Unfortunately, if the identity proofing procedure is too difficult, customers will give up on account opening procedures, and employees will find ways to get around security safeguards. Finding a modern solution that provides users with minimal friction and high-assurance security is critical.
Examples of use cases for age and identity verification software are provided below, along with important factors for each:
1. Opening an Account
Customers are becoming more open to using banks and other service providers without close physical locations. This enables them to compare a greater variety of products with ease. Banks and other customer marketers have an opportunity to make the process of opening an account quick, simple, and secure. For businesses that don’t make that transformation, it poses a threat to their ability to compete.
2. Onboarding New Customers
Strong digital business portfolios are held by banks, retailers, and other customer marketers. The number of competing products and services will increase in tandem with customer connectivity. An effective cross-selling and upselling strategy requires a streamlined onboarding procedure.
3. Onboarding Employees
By automating the registration of current employees for access to apps, networks, and websites or the onboarding of new employees, the correct identity proofing system will quickly pay for itself.
Common Methods of Age/ID Verification
Here are the 8 common methods of age/ID verification:
Method 1: Self-Confirmation/Age Declaration (Age Verification Method)
Users who choose to use this approach must declare that they are older than a specific age range. It is one of the strategies that social networking sites employ the most. The minimum age to use the service is typically 13 years old. In response to the EU GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation), WhatsApp reduced the minimum age to 16 in the European Union region.
Users cannot register on these websites or apps by providing an age that is lower than the established age restriction. However, it is dependent on users being truthful and makes the assumption that they are.
This approach is not error-free because anyone can check the confirmation box and submit a fictitious age, misrepresenting information. Because a user can defeat the age verification procedures by entering a false age, even if the age verification process best protects privacy and is economical, it is not strong.
Method 2: Hardline Identification Utilizing Government Identification (Identification Method)
Hardline identification requires the user to present a government-issued form of identification, such as a passport with an MRZ code, PAN card, or other document that may be used to verify the user’s identity. The aim behind this is to use an existing, massive, centralized database to use government-issued identification to confirm someone’s identity. This method provides a high level of accuracy because it uses a person’s identification. The data fiduciary/processor gathers all information that can be used to identify a person. It is affordable and simple to scale.
Governments from all across the world have created eID cards. It is a government-approved ID card that provides a citizen with an electronic identity. Use of public services, signature of electronic documents, and identification are all possible with the eID card. An example of an eID card is the Aadhaar card in India.
Different instances of excellent practice, in which the regulator permits gaming companies access to the electronic identification database to cross-check alleged identity details, can be found in countries like Denmark and Spain. Therefore, the data fiduciaries can either conduct a check using the eID card or request that users submit hard copies of their identity documents.
Submitting a Copy of a Government-Issued ID
Identification is needed in order to use some services, such as cryptocurrency trading or making financial transactions on the stock market. Platforms for trading stocks must follow the Reserve Bank of India’s (RBI) guidelines. Data fiduciaries frequently ask users to upload selfies of themselves with official identification. Platforms for trading stocks and cryptocurrencies need customers to upload a selfie while carrying their government-issued ID as part of the KYC requirements.
The German Federal Supreme Court has ruled that an attempt to employ an age verification system based on an identity card or passport number and the postal code of the city of issue is an effective barrier to preventing minors from accessing age-restricted content online in Germany. A technique like that, meanwhile, does not respect user privacy.
Using an eID Card Issued by the Government
The e-KYC (e-Know Your Customer) process, which identifies a user based upon the centralized stored database Aadhaar, is one of the examples of this technique currently being implemented in India. Telecom operators and fintech data fiduciaries that run payment banks and offer payment wallets (like Paytm, Airtel Money, etc.) are already using the Aadhaar biometric-based e-KYC procedure in India. Users must scan their fingerprints as part of this process at specific stores that provide e-KYC services.
Due to the use of the National Registry identification number, which is incorporated into the eID card and discloses the child’s date of birth and gender, it has been claimed that Belgium’s eID card is ineffective because it is too invasive and disproportionate. It is crucial to remember that the internet offers a variety of services that do not call for financial transactions, and as a result, identification may not even be necessary.
Only age verification is necessary to comply with the Personal Data Protection Bill (PDPB) so that data fiduciaries can prevent children from accessing unsuitable content and give them a secure online experience.
Moreover, data fiduciaries do not necessarily need to be aware of a user’s identity in order to sell all products, even if financial transactions are to be undertaken in sectors like ecommerce. Once the user has been identified, data fiduciaries and processors are free to use the data however they see fit. While it might save children from harm online, it really invades users’ privacy rather than protecting it.
Also, the approach is not ideal because there have been instances where adult online services like OnlyFans have failed to prevent children from using their services, according to reports. Government IDs used as proof of adult status by children as young as 13 have been used to access these services.
Additionally, e-KYC cannot be required in order to use every online service (website or app). As a result, this method of identification might not be the most popular and should only be used, as was already indicated, in businesses where it is absolutely necessary.
Method 3: Using Non-Government and Current Online Database for Age Verification/Identification (Age Verification/Identification Method)
This method makes use of already-in-use internet services that provide a variety of publicly available data. The UK is one country where this is true. In the UK, data aggregators and credit reference agencies cover 85–90% of the adult population, providing a method for identity and age verification that is independent of a single central identity database. This is according to a study done by Victoria Nash, Rachel O’Connell, Bendert Zevenbergen, and Allison Mishkin of the University of Oxford in 2013. Credit card holders here are regarded as adults and are permitted to participate in online gambling.
Combining more authentication techniques can increase success rates, but it can be time-consuming. This method uses a decentralized system and offers a higher level of privacy than the official ID proof identification method. In this case, the procedure may be used for age and identity verification, depending on the system being set up. Additionally, it might be economical for data fiduciaries and processors.
However, as mentioned in the preceding method, this method only works for industries where financial transactions take place. The data fiduciary does not need to be aware of the user’s identity in order for them to utilize services like social media and online entertainment. The data fiduciary will have access to the credit/debit card information even if the method is just used for age verification, which is undesirable because it is private and sensitive information.
Data minimization is still lacking, so data fiduciaries can use the collected data to target minors with advertisements and other content. The principle of goal limitation is also gravely violated in this situation.
One of the core privacy principles is violated when data that was initially acquired for purposes other than age verification is used. The PDBP has acknowledged the same as a key component. As a result, this practice can be regarded as unfair and may result in the processing of personal data without authorization. The procedure is also not accurate at all.
Even though in the UK credit cards are only issued to those over the age of 18, there are apparent instances in which people under the age of 18 can receive and/or use such credit cards. If someone over the age of 18 pays the bill, an adult can legally give a child under the age of 18 a credit card that is in someone else’s name. There have been instances where people under the age of 18 used credit cards to access services, according to reports. Although the retailer lacks a detection system, using a credit card in this situation cannot be reliably used as a proxy for age.
Additionally, there are issues with this method’s practicability. The use of banking information for age verification is not a smart idea, according to banks, which claim that information is requested when creating an account but is not stored in a manner that can be easily accessed. And last, India suffers from a substantial digital divide. A significant portion of people do not own or frequently use credit or debit cards. As a result, the technique cannot be applied to age verification in all situations.
Method 4: Utilizing an eID Card from a Non-Government Third Party for Age Verification/Identification (Age and Identity Verification Method)
Not all data fiduciaries can access personally identifiable information like names, dates of birth, etc., through this method. The true identity is concealed; in some countries, third-party, non-government eID card issuers exist who confirm a user’s identity by validating it against a government-issued ID card. As a result, for the purpose of age verification, the issuer of the eID card acts as a middleman between the user and the data fiduciary.
The eID card can be used by users to prove their identity. These services typically continue to be free for users and only charge minimal fees to companies that use them. Businesses are willing to use the services provided by such eID card issuers since they must abide by the regulations governing age verification.
Due to its simplicity, accessibility, and potential for broad adoption, this method has experienced considerable adoption. The process still necessitates the use of official ID proof for identity verification by the third-party eID card issuer company. As a result, someone’s privacy is jeopardized.
Method 5: Using Biometrics (Age and Identity Verification Method)
Another option is biometric age verification. According to the criteria for comparison already defined, various types of biometrics could be utilized. They are given below in the table, along with their benefits and drawbacks.
Biometric: Speech
Pros:
- Moderate accuracy
- No extra hardware is needed
Cons:
- Simple to get around
- Low dependability for children 11 to 13 years old
Biometric: Fingerprint
Pros:
- High accuracy
Cons:
- A fingerprint reader is needed
- Minimal anonymity
Biometric: Facial Features
Pros:
- High accuracy
- No extra hardware is needed
Cons:
- Simple to get around
Biometric: Iris
Pros:
- Low accuracy
Cons:
- An iris reader is needed
- Minimal anonymity
Using Unique Biometrics for Hardline Identification/Age Verification (Identification/Age Verification Method)
Biometrics, such as a fingerprint or an iris, are unique and cannot be the same for any two people. So, as was previously described in self-verification method 1, biometric verification can result in a hardline identification. A central database that stores people’s biometric data is required for this strategy.
In India, Aadhaar is utilized for this function. However, this procedure violates the idea of protecting a user’s privacy and should only be utilized in specific industries that demand such identification. Furthermore, it is extremely unlikely that this could be implemented on a large scale because it requires users to have iris and fingerprint scanners.
A third-party corporation could hold user biometric information and serve as a middleman between the user and the data fiduciary for age verification, much like method 4, in which a third party served as an eID card issuer. In this instance, a decentralized approach is used as opposed to a centralized database kept by the government. Similar to method 4, however, the method only offers a little amount of anonymity and privacy, making it unsuitable.
Additionally, because they are simple to hack, biometrics that don’t need additional hardware, like speech recognition features, cannot be employed for this purpose.
Method 6: Local Device Based Execution of AI and Data Processing for Estimating an Age (Age Estimation)
Most of the approaches that were discussed before this one demand that users either reveal their identities to one party or another or provide their personally identifiable information, including biometrics. Processing of the user’s data still takes place on the data processors’ cloud servers even if the user is not providing those details, and age estimation is done using facial feature or fingerprint development analysis. Therefore, techniques for storing and processing user data that prevent their personal identity from being revealed to any entity should be devised in order to truly protect privacy.
Edge computing, which stores and processes data on users’ devices while protecting their privacy, can be used to achieve this. Data fiduciaries can use a software development kit to include a machine learning-based age estimation algorithm. An API might be developed that can be integrated with any app to make integration easy.
With various types of data, edge computing techniques and artificial intelligence can be applied. The following are some of these:
- Artificial intelligence-based device-level verification utilizing facial recognition and fingerprint development.
- Information obtained from a user’s physical actions or interactions with a device (touch data and motion analysis on a device).
- Information collected from the user’s static long-term physical and biometric features.
Method 7: Semantic Analysis and Knowledge-Based Authentication (Age Estimation Method)
Semantic analysis is another technique for age estimation. The process of examining user-written language and determining its age is known as semantic analysis. Users may be asked to respond to various questions by the age estimation software. The user’s privacy can also be protected in this way.
It is possible to utilize technology to examine a social media profile or user’s behavior to estimate their age range using information provided by their use of an app, service, or platform. The method may not be particularly reliable, though, as it takes a lot of training to get the desired accuracy results.
Method 8: Parental Authority (Age and Identity Verification Method)
This approach allows parents to implement parental control while giving their child access to a smartphone or other internet-capable device. They will be able to manage how their children use the device as a result. It gives parents the ability to keep an eye on and manage how their children use their Android or iOS cellphones. Parents can view their children’s screen time, among other features. Children could still be exposed to hazardous content since the product might not be able to prevent unsuitable content.
The fact that parents from various socioeconomic situations could have varying perspectives on technology and the internet is a serious matter of concern. Some people might comprehend the dangers of online harm better than others, though. As a result, the layer of parental oversight and consent is similarly thin. The main issue is that children can use technology like VPNs but aren’t mature enough to use it responsibly. Although they are responsible, parents lack digital skills.
Parents can also be obliged to disclose more personal information about their children in order to protect their privacy. Some technological advancements could mislead parents into believing that their children are secure online. In addition, technology could be abused for immoral objectives, like keeping tabs on one’s spouse.
Evaluation of Crucial Age Assurance Techniques
Age assurance procedures come in a variety of forms. One common method is requiring an online identifier that’s linked to a government-issued ID. Other approaches involve employing technology, such as machine learning and artificial intelligence techniques, to estimate a user’s age. A comparison should be made to show off the distinctive qualities of each one while also examining the potential effects on users, particularly their privacy.
A flexible solution that can handle privacy issues is attributes-based age verification, which uses the assigned attributes of an individual, such as name, nationality, and so forth, or associated attributes, such as work data, etc.
Three distinct types of attributes exist:
1. Unchanging Attributes: These characteristics, such as biological parents, birthdate, birthplace, and distinguishable biometrics (fingerprint, iris), etc., cannot be changed.
2. Given Attributes: These are biographical details that have been recorded, such as a person’s name, signature, gender, nationality, etc.
3. Associated Attributes: These come from interacting with the outside world; for example, employment information, home address, talents, government and financial interactions, internet usage, etc.
Understanding the goals of the technique provides a useful foundation for evaluating the use of these variables for age assurance. Three categories can be used to classify it:
1. Identification Methods (ID): Determine the user’s actual identity.
2. Age Verification Methods (AV): User identification is not required to verify age.
3. Age Estimation Methods (AE): Calculating the user’s age.
As a result, although using some attributes may result in identification, using others may result in age estimation or age verification. The user’s privacy can be protected by conducting transactions using non-identifiable attributes. Additionally, the next section’s discussion of new age estimates and verification technologies can help you reduce data collection and protect user privacy.
All of these techniques, however, have their uses, benefits, and drawbacks. The comparison was based on the following parameters:
- Privacy-Friendliness: The user should not be identifiable, and the principles of data reduction and purpose limitation must be upheld.
- Simple for the Child to Use: A simpler way wouldn’t stress children too much.
- Accessibility and Inclusivity: Children should be able to use the procedures while taking into account their developmental potential, socioeconomic position, and availability to their parents, among other factors.
- Degree of Preciseness: It is crucial that the technique used to verify the user’s age can actually determine their age.
- Possibility of Widespread Implementation: Considering the level of knowledge in India regarding secure internet access, digital infrastructure, and connection, among other factors, many solutions might not be practical to apply and might result in exclusion. The viability of widespread adoption must therefore be considered.
While privacy-friendliness, child-friendliness, accessibility, and inclusivity are taken into consideration as parameters to capture the interest of younger customers, interest, accuracy, and the feasibility of adoption are taken into consideration as parameters to capture the challenges and viewpoints of data fiduciaries that adhere to the age verification standards.
Based on the aforementioned criteria, we will contrast the various age assurance techniques that are currently available. The comparison will make it clearer how data fiduciaries can employ these techniques to confirm online users’ ages and adhere to PDPB 2019 requirements.
Legal & Compliance Requirements
Any organization that employs identity proofing must continually adapt to the changing regulatory environment. The regulators who are committed to safeguarding customers’ interests as well as those of financial institutions, businesses, healthcare providers, governmental entities, and other organizations must change along with hackers. The European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) created a standard in several ways for safeguarding customers’ privacy.
The regulation states in one of the sections that pertains to identities the following: “Personal data shall be processed in a manner that ensures appropriate security of the personal data, including protection against unauthorized or unlawful processing and against accidental loss, destruction, or damage, using appropriate technical or organizational measures.” Although the rule only applies to customers in Europe, it serves as a standard for other regulatory bodies.
The financial consequences of breaking GDPR can be extremely severe, as the majority of security professionals are aware. Therefore, while looking at identity proofing technology, it’s crucial to pick a solution that makes GDPR compliance simple – and is probably going to be compatible with future laws that follow the EU statute.
1. GDPR Compliance Guidance
Data Retention Procedures
According to GDPR, you can only gather the personal information you require for a given business purpose, and you can only keep the absolute minimal amount of that information for the long term. Look for a solution that erases selfies, PII, and other identity information.
Compliant Algorithms
The platform cannot be designed to generate machine learning algorithms by combining data from several customers and prospects. Machine learning tools must only focus on people when used in applications for financial services; they cannot create aggregate models.
2. KYC and AML for Financial Institutions
Banks and other institutions are required by Know Your Customer (KYC) regulations to confirm the identification of customers before granting them access to financial products and services. The law also addresses methods for determining and monitoring associated risks, frequently in relation to criminal actions like money laundering. Respecting KYC regulations is a high-assurance need. Relying on antiquated techniques and PII won’t cut it.
Look for a solution that makes use of live facial recognition, biometrics, and device reputation analysis powered by AI. These cutting-edge, high-assurance security technologies are signs of a platform that complies with KYC regulations.
3. Anti-Money Laundering
Anti-money laundering (AML) regulations are made to make it easier for institutions to stop, catch, and report money laundering operations. The rule aims to protect institutions from being unintentionally used for money laundering while also preventing institutions from profiting from unlawful activity. Since AML and KYC are closely related, you should look for many of the same qualities in an identity proofing technology. This incorporates biometrics, live facial recognition, and device reputation analysis, much like with KYC. These characteristics will assist you in reducing the application and onboarding burden for legitimate customers while offering a solid line of defense against fraudulent practices.
Benefits of Implementing Proper Verification
Moving beyond mere regulatory compliance, implementing robust age and identity verification systems yields a multitude of strategic advantages for businesses operating in the digital age. These benefits can significantly impact the bottom line, enhance operational efficiency, and foster stronger customer relationships.
- Reduced Regulatory Fines and Legal Exposure: By accurately verifying age and identity, businesses can significantly minimize the risk of violating regulations related to age-restricted goods, services, and content. This proactive approach helps avoid costly fines, legal challenges, and reputational damage associated with non-compliance.
- Improved Fraud Prevention and Chargeback Reduction: Robust identity verification acts as a strong deterrent against various types of fraud, including identity theft, account takeovers, and fraudulent transactions. By ensuring users are who they claim to be, businesses can significantly reduce chargebacks and associated financial losses.
- Higher Trust and Conversion Rates Among Verified Users: Customers are increasingly concerned about online security and trust. Implementing transparent and reliable verification processes can enhance user confidence, leading to higher conversion rates and increased customer lifetime value. Verified users often feel more secure engaging with a platform that prioritizes safety.
- Customizable Access Control by Age or Risk Profile: Proper verification allows businesses to implement granular access controls based on verified age or risk profiles. This enables tailored user experiences, age-appropriate content delivery, and the ability to restrict access to potentially high-risk users.
- Enhanced Brand Reputation in Compliance-Driven Markets: In industries where regulatory scrutiny is high, demonstrating a commitment to robust verification practices can significantly enhance brand reputation and build trust with regulators, partners, and customers. This can be a key differentiator in competitive markets.
- Lower Customer Support Load from False Signups: By effectively filtering out underage or fraudulent signups during the initial verification process, businesses can reduce the burden on their customer support teams dealing with issues arising from illegitimate accounts.
- Streamlined Onboarding with Reusable Digital Identities: Embracing modern verification solutions, particularly those leveraging digital identity credentials, can lead to a more streamlined and efficient onboarding process for legitimate users. Once a user’s identity is verified, they may be able to reuse their digital identity across different services, reducing friction.
- Improved Ad Targeting and Content Gating Accuracy: Accurate age verification enables more precise ad targeting, ensuring marketing efforts reach the intended demographic. Similarly, content gating based on verified age ensures that age-restricted material is only accessible to appropriate users, improving the effectiveness and responsibility of content delivery.
- Competitive Differentiation in Regulated Industries: In tightly regulated sectors, having a best-in-class verification system can be a significant competitive advantage, demonstrating a commitment to compliance and user safety that sets a business apart from its peers.
- Future-Ready Infrastructure for Decentralized ID Adoption: Investing in modern verification technologies positions businesses to seamlessly integrate with emerging decentralized identity (DID) frameworks, ensuring they are at the forefront of secure and privacy-preserving identity management in the future.
Challenges in Implementation
While the benefits of robust verification are clear, the implementation process is not without its challenges. Businesses need to be aware of these potential roadblocks to plan effectively and choose solutions that mitigate these issues.
- High Drop-off Rates from Verification Friction: Complex or lengthy verification processes can lead to user frustration and abandonment, resulting in significant drop-off rates during onboarding or transactions. Balancing security with a seamless user experience is a critical challenge.
- Inconsistent Document Quality & Formats: When relying on document verification, businesses often encounter issues with the quality of submitted documents (e.g., blurry images, poor lighting) and the wide variety of document formats across different regions, making automated processing difficult.
- Lack of Real-Time Decisioning: Some verification processes can be time-consuming, involving manual review or lengthy database lookups. This can negatively impact user experience, especially in scenarios where immediate access or transaction completion is expected.
- Spoofing & Deepfake Attacks: Sophisticated fraudsters are constantly developing new techniques to bypass verification systems, including the use of spoofed documents, manipulated images, and increasingly realistic deepfake videos, posing a significant challenge to maintaining accuracy.
- Poor Liveness Detection in Biometric Checks: Ensuring that a biometric submission (e.g., facial scan) is from a live person and not a static image or video is crucial. Weak liveness detection mechanisms can be vulnerable to sophisticated spoofing attempts.
- Limited Regional Compliance Coverage: Verification solutions need to comply with diverse and evolving data privacy regulations across different jurisdictions (e.g., GDPR, CCPA). Finding a solution that offers comprehensive global compliance can be challenging.
- Integration Overhead with Legacy Systems: Integrating new verification solutions with existing legacy IT infrastructure can be complex and resource-intensive, requiring significant time, effort, and technical expertise.
- Storage & Security of Biometric Data: Handling sensitive biometric data raises significant privacy and security concerns. Businesses must ensure they have robust systems in place for the secure storage and processing of this data to comply with regulations and maintain user trust.
- Difficulty in Age Estimation Without ID: In scenarios where users may not have or be unwilling to provide traditional ID documents, accurately estimating age using alternative methods (like facial analysis) remains a significant technical challenge with limitations in accuracy and potential for bias.
- Vendor Lock-In Risks: Choosing a proprietary verification solution can lead to vendor lock-in, potentially limiting flexibility and increasing costs in the long run. Businesses should carefully consider the long-term implications of their vendor selection.
Addressing these challenges requires a strategic approach, careful selection of verification technologies, and a focus on balancing security, compliance, and user experience.
Choosing the Right Verification Solution for Your Business
Selecting the appropriate age and identity verification solution is a critical decision that can significantly impact your business operations, security posture, and customer experience. A thoughtful evaluation process is essential to ensure you choose a solution that aligns with your specific needs and objectives.
How to Evaluate a Verification Solution
When assessing potential verification providers, consider the following key factors:
- Accuracy Rate: The solution’s ability to correctly verify age and identity while minimizing false positives and negatives is paramount. Look for solutions with proven accuracy metrics and transparent testing methodologies.
- Integration Time: The ease and speed with which the solution can be integrated into your existing systems and workflows will impact your time-to-market and resource allocation. Consider the availability of APIs, SDKs, and pre-built integrations.
- Cost: Evaluate the total cost of ownership, including setup fees, per-verification charges, subscription fees, and any additional costs for features or support. Ensure the pricing model aligns with your anticipated usage volume and budget.
- Regulatory Support: The solution should offer comprehensive support for the relevant data privacy regulations and industry-specific compliance requirements in your target markets. Verify their track record and certifications.
- UX Impact: The verification process should be as seamless and user-friendly as possible to minimize friction and drop-off rates. Consider the user interface, the number of steps involved, and the availability of mobile-friendly options.
Key Questions to Ask Vendors
- Engage potential vendors with targeted questions to gain a deeper understanding of their offerings:
- What are your accuracy rates for age and identity verification? Can you provide independent testing results?
- How long does the integration process typically take? What level of technical support do you provide during integration?
- What are your pricing models? Are there any hidden fees or long-term commitments?
- What regional and industry-specific compliance standards do you support? Can you provide documentation?
- What measures do you have in place to prevent spoofing and deepfake attacks? What is your liveness detection accuracy?
- What is your data privacy and security policy? How do you handle the storage and processing of sensitive user data?
- What are your service level agreements (SLAs) for uptime and support response times?
- Can you provide case studies or references from businesses in similar industries?
- What is your approach to continuous improvement and adapting to evolving fraud techniques and regulations?
Manual vs. Automated vs. AI-based
This solution comparison table will shed light on choosing the one that fits your needs.
Feature/Type | Manual | Automated | AI-based |
---|---|---|---|
Accuracy | Low, prone to human error | Moderate, depends on technology | High, with continuous learning |
Speed | Slow | Fast | Real-time |
Scalability | Limited | High | Highly scalable |
Fraud Detection | Weak | Moderate | Strong, with anomaly detection |
User Experience | Can be cumbersome | Generally better | Often seamless and efficient |
Compliance | Requires manual updates | Easier to update | Adaptable to evolving regulations |
To further aid your evaluation, consider creating a comparison table outlining the features, pricing, pros, and cons of different types of verification solutions:
ROI Model Template
To justify the investment in a verification solution, develop an ROI model that considers:
- Cost of Fraud: Estimate your current losses due to fraud related to age misrepresentation or identity theft.
- Cost of Implementation: Factor in setup fees, integration costs, and ongoing operational expenses of the verification solution.
- Savings from Reduced Fraud: Project the reduction in fraud-related losses after implementing the solution.
- Savings from Improved Efficiency: Quantify any potential savings in customer support or manual review processes.
- Revenue Uplift: Consider potential increases in conversion rates and customer trust due to enhanced security.
- Cost of Non-Compliance: Factor in potential fines and legal costs associated with inadequate verification.
By carefully evaluating these factors and developing a clear understanding of your business needs, you can choose the right age and identity verification solution to protect your business and enhance your customer relationships.
Types of Identity Providers
In the digital identity ecosystem, various entities play the role of verifying and asserting digital identities. Understanding the different types of Identity Providers (IdPs) is crucial for businesses seeking to integrate robust verification solutions. Here’s an overview of common IdP categories:
1. Enterprise Identity Providers: These are organizations that manage and provide digital identities for their employees, partners, and sometimes customers. They often utilize Single Sign-On (SSO) solutions and multi-factor authentication (MFA) to secure access to their internal resources and external services. While primarily focused on enterprise identity management, they may offer identity verification capabilities for customer-facing applications.
2. Social Identity Providers: These are large social media platforms (e.g., Google, Facebook, LinkedIn) that allow users to log in to third-party applications and services using their social media credentials. While convenient for users, relying solely on social login for critical verification purposes can be risky due to the potential for fake accounts and limited identity assurance.
3. Cloud Identity Providers: These are third-party services that offer identity management and verification solutions hosted in the cloud. They provide scalable and flexible identity services, often including features like multi-factor authentication, single sign-on, and identity proofing. These providers are popular for businesses looking for outsourced identity management solutions.
4. Hybrid Identity Providers: These providers offer a combination of on-premise and cloud-based identity management services, allowing organizations to leverage their existing infrastructure while benefiting from the scalability and flexibility of the cloud. This model is often adopted by larger enterprises with complex identity requirements.
5. Federated Identity Providers: These enable users to access multiple applications and services using a single set of credentials, often across organizational boundaries. Federation relies on trust relationships between different identity providers and service providers. This can streamline user access and reduce the need for multiple logins.
6. On-Premise Identity Providers: These are traditional identity management systems that are hosted and managed within an organization’s own infrastructure. While offering greater control over data and security, they can be more complex and costly to maintain and scale compared to cloud-based solutions.
7. Government Identity Providers: In some regions, government agencies are developing and issuing digital identities to citizens. These government-backed digital IDs can offer a high level of assurance and facilitate secure access to public and private services.
8. Decentralized Identity Providers: This emerging category leverages blockchain technology and Self-Sovereign Identity (SSI) principles to give individuals greater control over their digital identities. Users can store their identity data in digital wallets and share it selectively with relying parties without the need for centralized authorities. This approach promises enhanced privacy and security.
When choosing an identity provider or a verification solution that relies on IdPs, businesses need to consider factors such as the level of identity assurance required for their specific use case, the user experience, the cost, and the integration capabilities with their existing systems. Understanding the strengths and weaknesses of each type of IdP is crucial for building a secure and user-friendly verification process.
The Future of Age and Identity Verification Technologies
The landscape of age and identity verification is on the cusp of significant transformation, driven by rapid advancements in artificial intelligence, cryptography, and decentralized technologies. Here are some key trends and technologies that are poised to shape the future of how we verify identity and age in the digital realm, particularly looking towards 2025 and beyond:
- Decentralized Identity (DID) and Blockchain: Decentralized Identity (DID) solutions, often built on blockchain technology, are gaining traction. These empower individuals to own and control their digital identities, storing verifiable credentials in digital wallets and sharing them selectively with relying parties. This offers enhanced privacy, security, and interoperability compared to traditional centralized identity systems.
- Zero-Knowledge Proofs (ZKPs): ZKPs are cryptographic techniques that allow one party to prove to another that a statement is true without revealing any information beyond the validity of the statement itself. In the context of age verification, ZKPs could enable a user to prove they are over a certain age without disclosing their exact date of birth, enhancing privacy.
- Federated Identity and SSO: Federated identity solutions and Single Sign-On (SSO) will continue to evolve, aiming for greater interoperability and a more seamless user experience across different online services. This will reduce the need for users to create and manage multiple sets of credentials.
- AI-Powered Behavioral Analytics: Beyond static identity attributes, AI will increasingly analyze user behavior patterns (e.g., typing speed, mouse movements, navigation patterns) to establish a baseline and detect anomalies that could indicate fraudulent activity or account takeover attempts. This adds a dynamic layer to identity verification.
- Age Verification in Metaverse and Virtual Reality (VR): As immersive digital environments like the metaverse become more prevalent, new challenges and opportunities for age verification will emerge. Solutions that can seamlessly and privately verify age within these virtual worlds, potentially leveraging avatars and behavioral cues, will be crucial for ensuring safety and compliance.
These emerging technologies and trends point towards a future of verification that is more secure, privacy-preserving, user-centric, and adaptable to the evolving digital landscape. Businesses that embrace these advancements will be better positioned to build trust, prevent fraud, and navigate the complexities of the digital world in 2025 and beyond.
Conclusion
When it comes to age and identity verification, we at FTx Identity have you covered. Our platform packs a real punch with our integrated login authentication and authorization system, identity management, and effortless age verification. Our age verification technology (AVT) solution interfaces easily with desktop, mobile, and online apps to prevent fraud and the sale of age-restricted products to children. Additionally, your customers will feel satisfied knowing that their information is protected. FTx Identity preserves the security and confidentiality of a customer’s data by maintaining it in a cloud-based, guarded digital vault. The information is saved in encrypted form so that only the end user can access their individual profile. Customers have the option to share or unshare their personal information with the businesses they choose, and this information is never disclosed to third parties without their permission.