June 21, 2024 ☼ Payments
The quest for a safer internet, especially for children, often leads to discussions on digital age verification. Legislators worldwide are proposing measures to mandate online age verification. Simple solutions like ticking a box or parental control tools may soon be replaced by stricter systems. Will uploading a government ID become necessary for activities like buying alcohol online or watching R-rated content on Netflix?
Age verification naturally spark privacy concerns. Social media platforms are exploring AI and facial recognition algorithms to estimate age via selfies, avoiding the need for government IDs. However, storing biometric data comes with risks, including misuse and breaches.
Could payment cards offer a better balance between privacy and safety?
Imagine a scenario where payment cards could discreetly verify age without revealing personally identifiable information to online merchants. When a user enters card details online, the website contacts the card issuer to confirm if the user is above a certain age (e.g., 18). The issuer responds with a simple “yes” or “no,” without sharing the user’s exact age. This preserves privacy, ensures safety, and requires no extra effort from users.
Likewise, digital passes like Allpass offer non-payment card alternatives. Users could buy an “age pass” in retail stores, with cashiers verifying their age by checking IDs before issuing the pass. Websites would accept these untraceable passes for access.
These solutions are not foolproof. The goal here is to simply explore methods balancing privacy and safety. As the virtual and real worlds converge, and identity verification grows, refining such solutions becomes critical.