New digital rules are stirring privacy concerns

New age-verification laws in the United States are expanding rapidly as states attempt to protect children online. But the measures are also forcing millions of adults to pass through digital identity checks to access websites and apps.

The rules require platforms such as social media services, gaming sites and adult content platforms to confirm users’ ages, often using AI-powered identity verification tools that analyse selfies or government IDs.

US new age verification laws

According to the lawmakers, the regulations will enhance online safety for children, whereas the privacy advocates believe that the regulations will change how people link their identities with their daily online activities.

Approximately 50% of US states have enacted or are contemplating legislation which mandates platforms to prohibit underage users from viewing specific online materials.

Jumio Global Head of Privacy Joe Kaufman stated that the current regulatory environment exists as a fragmented system. States enforce distinct technical requirements and compliance standards which complicate business operations for companies that need to implement those requirements.

Notably, after several bans of underage users, social media platforms are testing their own age verification systems. Discord has announced the launch of worldwide age verification systems, which will evaluate facial characteristics through the user’s device before the system permanently deletes the information.

However, the proposal faced immediate backlash from users to submitting a selfie and identification document requirement, which resulted in the company needing to delay its scheduled launch.

Many age-verification systems rely on artificial intelligence that estimates age through facial recognition or image analysis. The technology enables vendors to prevent underage access while maintaining simple entry procedures for adult users.

The Socure Chief Growth Officer Rivka Gerwitz Little stated that user safety needs to be balanced with user convenience. Too much data collection creates user frustration, which leads them to abandon the verification process.

On the other hand, the civil liberties organisations warn that those systems store personal identification data which includes names and faces and birth dates. Privacy advocates believe that hackers and government agencies will target such databases for unauthorised access. 

Regulators maintain that the laws serve to safeguard young users from dangerous online content. A Federal Trade Commission spokesperson said companies must follow strict rules on how they collect, store and secure personal data.