Age Verification-Regulatory Requirements Set Forth. In this tech-driven world, the landscape of customers’ behavior toward shopping and spending time online is rapidly changing.
With options like easy account creation, seamless website surfing, and digital payments, users are shifting to online purchases. However, with this rapid change, minors’ access to Age-Oriented (AO) platforms is becoming easier. This leads to the falling of underaged users into traps of cyber criminals.
With respect to an increase in minors’ exploitation cases, industries like tobacco, cannabis, alcohol, social media, gaming, e-commerce, and others offering AO services need to incorporate efficient age verification solutions. The AI-powered KYCC services help businesses place unbreachable gates and protect underaged users. This blog entails regulations put forth by authorities for minors’ protection.
Age Verification Online – Global Regimes for AO Industries
Minors use different ways to escape age checks and register on AO platforms. They easily pass through traditional methods such as solving puzzles or ticking checkboxes. This in turn exposes them to fraudsters eagerly waiting for them on platforms. Underaged users are unaware of who they might face on the other end of the screen. Furthermore, they can unknowingly indulge inappropriate grouping, become additive to life-threatening drugs, or lose hefty sums of money to gambling/gaming.
Minors are sophisticated enough to trick the age verification process by uploading their elders’ information and documents. This helps them escape payment checks while illegitimately registering on AO platforms. Keeping all this in view, global regulatory authorities are taking strict and necessary actions to safeguard the well-being of minors.
Where digitization is making things easier, online age verification solutions are upholding the integrity of OA platforms. Similarly, the legal obligations are also defining ways industries need to take in order to restrict access of underaged users and stay put with regulatory requirements. More details regarding global regimes to verify age are in the next section;
Age Verification Laws in the UK
As of 2017, the UK’s government brought about various amendments to their client verification regulations. The prime reason behind these changes is minors’ protection against risks they face after registering on AO platforms. As per the UK Council’s Child Internet Safety law, e-industries need to bring in efficient age verification measures for limiting access. Further guidelines include minors’ identification at the time of registration.
In this process, the age verification solutions help AO platforms protect and safeguard minors from becoming victims of cybercriminals. Ultimately, they can also restrict their access to e-stores to prevent them from developing life-threatening addictions. Similarly, regulations in the UK also mandate dating platforms and social media sites to verify age of users prior to their onboarding.
Age Verification Regimes in the USA
USA’s age verification regime includes the Federal Trade Commission’s COPPA. This regulation obliges industries to restrict access of customers under 13 years of age. Moreover, the legal age for buying tobacco and liquor products is 18+. Regulatory bodies are imposing hefty penalties in place for platforms not adhering to these guidelines. Therefore, industries require age verification online for placing necessary precautions in minors’ way.
Similarly, the Cellular Telecommunications and Internet Association is also mandating media information sectors to air content that is suitable for minors or in other ways display warnings to help parents prevent their children from viewing it. Hence, industries require age verification solutions to target right audience and facilitate legit customers.
Age Verification Regimes in Europe
Considering the increase in minors’ access to AO platforms, the European Union (EU) is also seen in action to place preventive measures. It has put into force a set of rules regarding customer verification and onboarding. As per the guidelines, AO platforms must ask customers for their Personally Identifiable Information (PII) and analyze them with better verification mechanisms. Moreover, Article 8 of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) further mandates e-industries to perform efficient age verification after obtaining the details of clients.
As per the age verification requirements set by Article 8, users of 18 years or more can buy AO products and avail such services. The regulatory bodies mandate alcohol, social media, tobacco, gaming/gambling, and other such industries to safeguard their operations and restrict underaged customers’ access. The AI-powered online age verification solutions provide tools such as biometric analysis and liveness detection to better verify clients.
Concluding Remarks
In summation, industries are increasingly facing an increase in minors’ easy access to AO platforms. Due to rapid technological advancements, online shopping, virtual interactions with global individuals, and digital payment options for purchase of restricted products have become a lot easier. Simultaneously, it is increasing the chances of underrated users falling prey to cybercriminals, Along with developing life-threatening addictions.
Therefore, regulatory bodies are mandating industries to develop efficient age verification mechanisms. Otherwise, they will be subject to hefty penalties. Hence, in securing a safe environment for customers and protecting minors, online age verification services are the AO platforms’ go-to options.
