As we discussed last month, age verification in the adult sector is critical to ensuring legal compliance with ever-evolving regulations, safeguarding minors from inappropriate content and protecting the privacy of adults wishing to view adult content. However, implementing age verification on your site shouldn’t cost you business — and one way to avoid that is to provide options.
When implementing age verification solutions, adult sites should empower their users with choice by offering a comprehensive, fully inclusive range of methods that cater to individual needs while ensuring high pass rates and revenue protection. Empowering users with choice when selecting how to verify their age allows businesses to cater to their individual needs and preferences — whether related to privacy or ease of use — and eliminates potential bias associated with specific methods.
Adult sites should empower their users with choice by offering a comprehensive, fully inclusive range of methods that cater to individual needs while ensuring high pass rates and revenue protection.
This article will focus on how adult sites can implement methods that enhance user choice and privacy, and the importance of educating users on the need for these measures. Implementing these solutions correctly can vastly improve user experience and reduce drop-off rates.
What AV Methods Are Available?
Currently, there is no one-size-fits-all approach to age assurance. However, one thing is clear: Offering only a single age verification method can cause friction and huge drops in traffic. That’s why providing options is crucial.
One thing to remember is that age assurance encompasses both age verification and age estimation. Age verification determines an individual’s actual age, often using official documents such as a passport or other form of ID. Age estimation techniques offer a low-friction yet highly accurate alternative, by inferring approximate age using inputs like email address, credit card checks or facial biometrics. Providing backup options ensures that users have a choice.
Mitigating Bias in Age Assurance
A YouGov poll in the U.S. revealed disparities in who has identity documents, based on age and socio-economic background. Additionally, according to the Federal Reserve, 18% of US adults did not have a credit card in 2022. It is also important to remember that not everyone is comfortable using facial age estimation or liveness checks associated with some ID Scans, whether for personal, cultural or other reasons.
These data points underscore the importance of a range of inclusive age assurance solutions, so as not to exclude or penalize certain groups or personal choices. A lack of options can deter users, leading them to bounce off your site or platform and seek less reputable ones with no age assurance methods in place.
How to Address User Privacy Concerns
Respecting user privacy, clearly communicating about the data protection measures in place for each method, and offering users control over their personal information will help to gain their trust and protect the user journey. Transparency and robust privacy protocols will encourage user compliance, maximize pass rates and protect revenue. By working with age verification providers, businesses can ensure they provide users with detailed information and education on how their data will be handled and used.
Educate Users on Age Verification
Educating users on the necessity of these measures is critical for maintaining business as usual. Businesses can create informative FAQs, tutorials and pop-up messages explaining why age assurance is required and how it can protect minors from accessing inappropriate content. Educated users who understand the importance of these measures for their protection and that of others are more likely to comply with verification requirements.
Key Takeaways
Age assurance is undergoing a significant transformation, driven by advancements in technology, the evolving regulatory landscape and a growing emphasis on user privacy and experience. By embracing optionality, prioritizing privacy-centric solutions and focusing on seamless integration and quality user experience, businesses can create a safer, more inclusive and user-friendly online environment for all. These strategies not only ensure compliance with legal requirements but also support the credibility and sustainable growth of your site or platform.
Gavin Worrall is VP of Global Strategic Partnerships at VerifyMy, a safety technology provider with a vision to provide solutions that safeguard children and society online. Spanning age assurance, identity verification, content moderation and consent management, VerifyMy seeks to offer frictionless, trustworthy solutions for online platforms to maintain their integrity, protect their reputation and safeguard their users. He can be reached at sales@verifymy.io.
