X is looking to utilize its own xAI tools to verify user ages, in order to meet the recently enacted regulations in the U.K., with the platform now experimenting with a new, in-stream selfie-verification process, which will then ensure that only approved adults are allowed to access sensitive content.
Under the U.K.’s Online Safety Act, all social media platforms and search services need to implement measures to prevent children from accessing harmful and age-inappropriate content. So it’s now a requirement that all platforms implement some form of age checking, in order to protect youngsters from potentially harmful exposure in their apps.
And while X has opposed the regulation, saying that it infringes free speech, it seems to have now conceded that, one way or another, it will need to abide by the law. And with other regions considering similar restrictions, it’s very likely going to have to implement some form of age checking either way, even if it may be able to successfully challenge the U.K. bill.
X actually took the first steps towards actioning this late last month, by outlining a range of new age assurance measures, including crosschecking account holder info, and X Premium subscription status.
Within that, X also noted that it would soon be adding:
- Facial age estimation: Users can upload a live selfie, which will be used to estimate their age by our artificial intelligence systems.
- ID verification: Users can submit a government-issued ID, which will be used to estimate their age by our artificial intelligence systems.
It’s now taking steps to enable the first element, though unlike Meta, which has outsourced this to a third party age verification provider, X is looking to use its own AI tools to measure user ages from images.
As you can see in these example screens, posted by @swak_12 (and X Daily News), X is building a native selfie process for its age checks, in which it also notes that X and xAI will use your selfie image for age checking.
Another screen shows that its age-checking system will be powered by Grok.
How good X’s systems are at determining age, we don’t know, but X seems confident that it’ll be able to meet the requirements of the new law by implementing its own age verification process.
Though already, in other apps, many users have found ways around this.
As reported by Engadget last week:
“Savvy internet users are already circumventing the age checks by using a VPN, providing a fake ChatGPT-generated photo ID, or taking a high-quality selfie of video game characters.”
Yeah, there seems to be a few flaws in the process. And this is based on third-party age verification systems that have been specifically built for this purpose, so I can’t imagine that X’s Grok tool is going to be any better at this.
Which further underlines the need for an approved, universal age checking provider process, which would see all the platforms measured to the same standard, as opposed to each coming up with its own, variable approach.
Because as it stands, it can’t see how this will be legally enforceable, especially if a platform is able to prove that a better-resourced competitor has an advantage in meeting these requirements.
There needs to be a singular, government-vetted system that’s then provided to the platforms to ensure adherence. Otherwise, it’s not going to work, and I have even more confidence in saying that xAI’s system is not going to be foolproof.
But it’ll probably meet the standards, and that might deter some kids from trying it.
Maybe that’s a win, but it feels like a half measure.
