Children are finding simple ways to bypass online age verification systems, including drawing fake facial hair with makeup pencils to appear older to automated verification tools, according to a new report from U.K.-based nonprofit Internet Matters.
The organization surveyed 1,000 children about online age checks and found that around half believed the systems were easy to avoid. The report said children were familiar with multiple bypass methods either through direct experience or through information shared by others.
“Children demonstrated a clear awareness of how to bypass age checks, either through their own experiences or by hearing about methods from others,” the report stated.
Internet Matters said one commonly discussed technique involved children drawing facial hair on themselves so age estimation systems would classify them as older users.
“One technique brought up was children drawing facial hair on themselves so that the tools verifying them would think they were older, which was reported as working in multiple instances,” the report added.
Age Verification Laws Expand Globally
The findings come as governments in several countries continue introducing age verification laws tied to online child safety requirements.
Many of these laws require adults to verify their age before accessing adult websites, often by uploading government-issued identification such as passports or driver’s licenses to third-party verification providers.
Critics of the laws argue that the systems could create databases containing sensitive personal information that may later be hacked or leaked. They also warn that widespread identity verification requirements could affect the open structure of the internet.
Half of U.S. states currently have some form of online age verification law in place. The United Kingdom has also implemented similar requirements and has played a major role in pushing broader adoption of such systems internationally.
Tech Companies Adjust Verification Systems
Technology companies have increasingly updated their services and platforms to comply with the growing number of regulations.
Apple has released software updates intended to help device owners comply with age verification requirements. Reddit and Meta have adopted systems that combine government document uploads with algorithmic age estimation tools designed to predict a person’s age.
Discord, meanwhile, has delayed parts of its verification rollout following user criticism and reported security concerns.
The report also noted that children have identified additional ways to bypass verification tools in recent months. Some users reportedly succeeded by pointing webcams toward adult-looking video game characters during verification checks. Others were able to bypass systems simply by making unusual facial expressions or exaggerated poses in front of the camera.
Featured image credits: Magnific.com
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