Age verification systems are built to ensure that users meet the required age thresholds before accessing specific products, services or content. Most digital businesses rely on robust age verification solutions as a key part of their online compliance and fraud prevention strategies.
However, age verification comes with its own set of challenges that extend beyond accurately verifying a user's age. From overcoming data privacy concerns to navigating fragmented identity verification regulations and mitigating AI-driven fraud, it’s essential to implement an age verification system that suits your business’s needs and prioritises the user experience while mitigating these risks.
Different methods of age verification
Age verification systems typically use a combination of verification methods to confirm a user’s age. By using several different methods to confirm a user’s age, verification systems can cross-check the different data sources to confirm the information is correct.
Let’s take a look at some of the key age verification methods used by verification systems.
Document-based verification
Document-based verification involves using government-issued IDs, like passports, driver’s licenses or national ID cards to confirm a user’s age. These documents can be verified manually (in-person) or via an automated system that uses digital ID verification tools.
While document-based verification offers a high level of accuracy and reliability, gaining access to these types of personal documents can be challenging. Plus, there’s always the potential for fraud if the documents are forged.
Biometric age verification
Biometric age checks rely on physical or behavioural characteristics to estimate age, such as facial recognition, voice analysis or fingerprint scanning. For example, AI-driven facial recognition technology can use facial features to estimate a user’s age. These types of tools are often used in conjunction with liveness detection to ensure the person is present and not using a photo or video to fake their age.
Biometric age verification tools are known to be fast and non-intrusive, making them effective for online and in-person scenarios. That said, their accuracy can vary based on technology and demographics.
Behavioural verification
Behavioural verification uses machine learning algorithms to track and analyse user behaviour patterns, including browsing habits, typing speed or interaction style, to predict age. These tools are typically used in online environments to monitor whether user behaviour aligns with typical age-related patterns.
These systems are non-intrusive and continuous, enhancing security over time and helping businesses to continually verify the age of their users. However, these systems can be less precise for initial verification, so they’re often best used as a complementary verification method.
Key considerations when choosing an age verification provider
With so many different age verification providers out there, it can be challenging to choose the best system for your business’s needs.
When it comes to age verification, accuracy is often one of the main factors that most businesses look for in these kinds of digital tools. With deepfake technology becoming increasingly sophisticated, it’s more important than ever for age verification providers to implement robust fraud detection measures to mitigate these risks.
Another key consideration is user experience. It’s essential to find an age verification solution that balances accuracy with a seamless onboarding experience for your users. A long, convoluted age verification process can result in user drop-off. Instead, an effective provider should be able to seamlessly integrate their verification tool into your existing IT infrastructure, allowing you to verify a user's age quickly and securely.
Last but not least, it’s vital to ensure the age verification provider you choose is compliant with the relevant data privacy laws. These days, it’s often not enough to be compliant with the current rules and regulations. Instead, you should look for a provider that takes a proactive approach to data privacy by future-proofing their systems to meet continually evolving global regulations.
Step-by-step guide to implementing an age verification system
If you’re looking to implement an age verification system in your business, but you’re not quite sure where to start, follow this step-by-step guide to help you get started.
Step 1: Identifying business needs and compliance requirements
Start by making a list of all your business needs and compliance requirements. Most countries have their own data verification and privacy regulations, so if you operate across borders, you’ll need to make sure the system you choose complies with each jurisdiction's requirements.
Step 2: Selecting a verification provider
Once you’ve got a good understanding of your business needs and compliance requirements, you can start exploring different verification providers. Create a shortlist of providers and compare their offerings against your needs and the other providers. From here, you’ll be able to narrow down your shortlist until you settle on a verification provider.
Step 3: Integrating verification into user flows
The age verification system that you settle on should be able to be easily integrated into your existing and emerging IT infrastructure. This enables you to streamline your age verification processes and swiftly adjust to changing business needs and regulatory standards. Once the system has been integrated, your onboarding process should be completely seamless, providing users with a quick, frictionless experience.
But integration doesn’t stop there. System integration also involves collecting data from various sources and consolidating it into a single system for analysis and application. This allows your business to build detailed customer profiles and simplify data management.
Step 4: Testing and optimising for accuracy and user experience
Before launching your new system to your customers, it’s essential to take the time to test your new user flow. This allows you to identify any points of friction so you can perfect and optimise the user experience.
Step 5: Monitoring and maintaining compliance
Once the system is up and running, it should continue to monitor existing users to maintain compliance. This is where behavioural verification tools often come into play, helping to identify and flag any potential anomalies.
Common pitfalls to avoid
Rolling out a new age verification system can be challenging. Here are some common pitfalls to avoid when choosing and implementing an age verification system:
Relying on outdated verification methods: While traditional methods like manual ID checks or static age-gates may have worked in the past, these methods are easy to bypass, prone to human error and don’t provide robust security.
Ignoring user experience impact: Without customers, you’ll be left with no business. Implementing complex or intrusive verification processes can quickly frustrate users, leading to increased drop-off rates, cart abandonment or negative brand perception.
Failing to comply with regional laws: Navigating legal requirements across jurisdictions can be a complex process, but non-compliance can lead to legal penalties, fines and reputational damage.
Ultimately, investing in a modern, technology-driven age verification system can allow you to balance a seamless user experience with accurate and secure age verification methods that comply with relevant regulations.
Data Zoo’s age verification solution offers a thorough and dependable approach to ensuring compliance with constantly changing global regulations. Get in touch to see how we can support your age verification needs.