Age Verification Online: What Is It and Do You Need It?
In the modern age where access to the internet is widespread, online purchases for goods and services are becoming increasingly commonplace. Unfortunately, this also means that access to restricted content and services by minors has never been easier. Age verification online is becoming a hot topic.
Although online businesses have put basic systems in place to restrict underage users, basic “tickboxes,” or “age gates,” to confirm a user’s age rely on the user being honest. This means of restricting age-restricted content and services is not only insufficient and unreliable, but it can also lead to children accessing something potentially damaging.
There is a Growing Need for More Control
Recently, the U.K. parliament has emphasized the problem of minors accessing age-restricted websites by introducing the Digital Economy Act – which highlights a growing need for more stringent age verification systems on merchant websites to keep children safe online.
Likewise, for most states in America, “age gates” are no longer legally sufficient to deter minors from purchasing alcohol or tobacco and other tobacco products, such as flavored e-cigarettes. Consequently, “age gates” are becoming a thing of the past, and regulations around access to online merchants by minors are becoming tighter.
So, how does an online merchant restrict minors from accessing age-restricted content and services?
In short, online businesses need to approach the issue as they would in a brick-and-mortar establishment. It is the responsibility of online retailers to verify the age of their customers to ensure that children will not be able to come across or access restricted products, content, or services. The responsibility to implement and enforce online age verification lies solely on the website provider.
Industries such as alcohol, online dating, vaping and tobacco, online gaming, and other adult industries have a moral and regulatory obligation to ensure that children do not have access to their content, products, and services.
How can an online business verify the age of their customers quickly and accurately, without infringing upon personal data rights and disrupting the conversion process?
The answer lies with automated verification systems – software experts are working with regulatory bodies to ensure compliant and efficient age verification solutions that are cost-effective and data-encrypted.
Online age verification solutions offer a wide range of methods to online merchants that sometimes only require a mobile phone number, email address, or credit card to accurately verify the age of their users.
Others require a government-issued ID and a selfie in order to complete a purchase. Biometrics and sophisticated facial recognition can also be utilized for maximum security – and advances in technology mean that online age verification systems will become quicker and even more accurate in the future.
The Benefits of Online Age Verification
Online age verification solutions extract data, such as date of birth, and can also provide in-depth identity screening, but implementing age verification also provides many other benefits to merchants.
Access to a Global Market
Online age verification allows a merchant to operate in different regions and territories, which expands a business’ market, ensures that age-restriction regulations are met, and acts as an added layer of security to AML (Anti Money Laundering) and KYC (Know Your Customer) screening requirements.
Seamless Integration and Enhanced User Experience
Age verification software has been designed to integrate seamlessly into a merchant website, is user-friendly, and only takes a few minutes to complete – ensuring that the customer’s journey to completing the purchase is not disrupted.
Users can access their services or products quickly and conveniently, without having to authenticate themselves on multiple platforms.
A Solid Brand Image
Following age-restriction protocols is beneficial for businesses because it promotes a strong brand image – businesses that adhere to social, legal, and moral obligations are more professional and create a stronger sense of trust from their customers.
Privacy
Identity verification services encrypt user data and delete it after verification, which means that the data is not stored and customers are completely anonymous. Users do not have to worry about sensitive information being stored or leaked, which enhances the user’s experience.
After a user is verified during the signup process, age verification systems ensure future logins and purchases are made by the original account owner.
Eliminate Fraud
Age verification software that makes use of a selfie or video to authenticate users eliminates spoofing by ensuring that the user is physically present. This also eliminates identity theft and fraud (such as using a parent or friend’s ID for verification) – which safeguards the merchant from illegal activity or infringement of age-restriction laws.