Since the digital revolution took over, minors’ access to Age-Oriented (AO) platforms, products, and services has become more accessible. It is readily transforming the way customers shop, buy, and interact online. On the contrary, convenience is also bringing various challenges for online industries. Fraudsters are using these platforms to exploit minors.
However, online age verification streamlines customer onboarding by providing robust identity checks. Industries like e-gaming, online gambling, dating sites, social media, and e-commerce are adopting AI-powered age verification solutions. This is to draw a line between minors and appropriate aged customers. With its technologically advanced tools, AI-driven solutions assist digital industries in numerous ways. Most of these are discussed in this blog.
Online Age Verification – Different Methods to Validate Customers
Industries are readily moving online in wake of assisting customers in the best possible ways. While driving convenience, they are leaving room for other menaces. For instance, criminals use e-gaming platforms to exploit minors and reap financial benefits. Similarly, minors’ access to AO products, services, and platforms, is leading industries to face hefty KYCC non-compliance fines.
Hence, digital age checks are more of a liability for industries to counter advanced fraud types. With criminals coming up with new methods to onboard and manipulate under-aged users, AI-powered age verification solutions act as the guarding shields. The system asks for Personally Identifiable Information (PII) along with documents and real-time selfies.
While using OCR, the system extracts required information and biometrics validate facial features. This way digital industries can ensure that they are onboarding age-appropriate customers. Further age verification checks are covered in the next section.
Digital Age Checks
Digital industries are using online solutions to verify age as a substitute for manual methods mainly because they are prone to errors. Considering the technological rise, traditional checks are no more reliable as minors easily bypass them. Similarly, industries lacking efficient age verification solutions are also more likely to open doors for minor-based digital manipulations.
However, AI-based KYCC solutions are robust and risk-free which provides additional layers of security to industries offering AO products. The system validates PII such as name, address, and date of birth. It also verify age of customers by using two-factor authentication that involves phone number, email, and OTP verification.
Document Validation
Similar to information validation, age verification solutions also provide accurate document verification. The system asks customers to upload original and updated documents that serve as evidence for the information.
It then uses OCR to extract information in mathematical codes that further eliminate the chances of discrepancies. The system then uses authentic checks to cross-match the information in documents with the one previously added. The digital age verification methods further help e-commerce industries to validate payment information and ensure that minors are not accessing buying the products.
Biometric-Based Identification
For getting the age verified, online services provide biometric-based identification. The AI-enabled tools detect liveness to ensure the user is not uploading a pre-recorded video. Moreover, the system asks for a real-time selfie which is analyzed for facial features verification.
The digital age verification solutions promise improved security, accuracy, privacy, and enhanced convenience for legit customers. This way, digital industries like gambling, e-commerce, tobacco, liquor, and various others can restrict minors’ access.
Industries Liable for Performing Age Verification
Digital industries have made access to products, services, and global interaction one tap away. On the contrary, this tech-driven era is easing minors’ access simultaneously. Furthermore, it is exposing the underaged to digital manipulations and worst of all lethal addictions.
Concerning the industries’ fast-shifting to digital assistance, age verification solutions are providing result-driving services. The following industries require these robust solutions to enhance their security as well as ensure minors’ protection.
Online Gaming and E-Gambling Sites
Since minors’ access to AO platforms is becoming easier, regulatory bodies are toughening their stance to restrict them. As of 2021, countries within Europe are in line to implement strict age checks. Furthermore, the regulatory authorities mandate online gaming and gambling sites place age verification in place. This way crucial platforms like betting, lottery, and others can ensure legit player onboarding.
Social Media and Dating Platforms
After reaching over 4.26 billion users, social media is the most popular virtual interaction platform. As it provides easy-to-register and use applications, users are making their way to be a part of the global village. Similarly, minors are also becoming a part of this race. However, this leads to various negative outcomes ranging from blackmailing to inappropriate groupings.
Criminals use social media and dating sites to form groups for illicit activities. As young users are not very aware of what they might fall into, they unconsciously become a part of these. This is why age verification online is a must for social media and dating platforms.
In Conclusion
Age verification is providing digital industries with robust solutions to ensure appropriate customer onboarding. Minors use advanced methods to bypass identity checks and fall prey to digital manipulations. Concerning this threat, regulatory bodies are revamping standards for platforms’ providing virtual assistance. In this process, the age verification solutions are the industries’ hold-on-to options.
