Age verification is a mess but we’re doing it anyway

April 30, 2026

TL;DR

Platforms are adopting age verification methods like AI inference, third-party services, and app store checks due to child safety regulations.
Age inference uses AI to guess user ages based on activity but is often unreliable, leading to requests for personal data.
ID scans and face scans are more accurate but pose privacy and security risks if data is breached.
On-device verification faces feasibility and device compatibility issues.
App store and operating system-level verification is being proposed as a more efficient solution but complicates things for diverse operating systems.
Legal challenges are mounting against age verification laws, with many being blocked by courts.
Emerging technologies like zero-knowledge proofs (ZKP) aim to verify age without revealing personal data but are still experimental and can have privacy flaws.
The current landscape presents a difficult balancing act between user privacy and online safety, with no perfect solution yet found.

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