Mustache Mischief: Kids Bypass UK's Digital Age Barriers

It's no secret that the United Kingdom is among the toughest regions when it comes to internet age verification laws. The Online Safety Act 2023 is a UK law that requires tech platforms to protect users, especially children, from certain online content, including through measures like age verification.

Websites and apps may ask users to take a short video or a guided selfie for facial age-estimation scans, upload a photo of their government-issued ID, run facial age-estimation scans, or verify through third-party services that cross-check personal data.

But according to a recent study (PDF) by Internet Matters, a London-based child online safety nonprofit, approximately one-third of UK children are bypassing age verification by using methods as simple as drawing a mustache with an eyebrow pencil.

As ...