As more regions consider new laws that would require social platforms to enforce age access restrictions, Meta is laying the foundations for a broader roll-out of video selfie verification, in order to align with this push.
Over on the Facebook Help Center page on video age checking, it’s now updated the wording to make this sound like a more definitive requirement for accessing certain content.
As per Facebook:
“If you are under 18 and trying to change your age on Facebook to over 18 or access a Facebook feature or product intended for adults, you will be asked to give us additional information to help verify your age.”
Users will be able to submit their government-issued ID, or take a video selfie, which will then be cross-checked with a third-party vendor.
“If you choose to take a video selfie, we partner with vendors who use technology to estimate your age. After you’ve taken a video selfie, we’ll share an image from that selfie with the vendor. Our vendors’ technology only estimates age. It can’t identify specific people.”
Meta’s been working with video verification provider Yoti on this approach for some time, offering video selfie verification in some regions.
It seems that Meta’s now preparing for a broader expansion of this element, in order to abide by emerging regulations relating to content restrictions and access.
Which makes sense. In the U.K., for example, the new Online Safety Act requires that all platforms implement measures to prevent children from accessing age-inappropriate content. Australia is also close to implementing new laws on teen social media access, while several EU nations, including France, Greece and Denmark, have all put their support behind higher age restrictions and penalties.
And Meta is in support of this. Earlier this month, Meta published a statement that endorses the proposal to establish a common Digital Majority Age across EU member states, which, in its present form, would likely restrict social media access to those over 15, though that could also be increased to 16 after consultation.
Which seems strange, that Meta would be actively restricting its audience, and volunteering to take any penalties that are assigned as a result of violations of such laws.
But presumably, that suggests that Meta does have a plan in place to abide by this, and ensure that teens are not accessing inappropriate material in its apps.
Which is where these new, more definitive regulations seemingly come in, which will rely, as noted, on video selfies to ensure that youngsters are not violating its regulations.
And if that’s viewed as a viable process, you can bet that many nations will implement similar laws and restrictions, along with penalties for platforms that don’t abide by such.
That could make it harder for smaller, less resourced apps, in implementing similar age checking systems, or platforms like X, which have railed against regulation.
But maybe, it is the best solution, and the best way to ensure that kids are not being exposed to potentially harmful material in social apps.
