Social media companies and “tech giants” may voluntarily make age verification compulsory via physical credentials to prevent children encountering harmful material online, according to proposals from Dame Rachel de Souza, the Children’s Commissioner for England. An age verification firm argues biometrics-based facial analysis would be the better option.
If firms fail to do so, the voluntary industry approach could be replaced with legislation, forcing them to enforce age checks, said de Souza, criticizing the weaknesses of the government’s planned new Online Safety Bill, which does not mandate age checks.
The Children’s Commissioner has been commissioned by the Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden and Education Secretary Gavin Williamson to formulate plans to ensure social media and “tech giants” verify the age of users.
The news emerges from an interview by Rachel de Souza with The Telegraph, a move already being criticized as it puts potentially highly significant government plans behind a paywall.
Dame Rachel will meet social media bosses this week to urge them to take tougher action to prevent under 13 year-olds from using their services.
“I would argue for a strong form of age verification to protect children from accessing some really damaging material. It’s not like when we were kids, just seeing a magazine on a top shelf. It’s really serious stuff that’s affecting them and it’s our responsibility to do something about it,” de Souza is quoted as saying.
“Wouldn’t it be...
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