The previous year has changed the ways how businesses operate. Now, more people engage in technological solutions and online platforms. This has led organizations to revisit their traditional procedures. They are focusing on digital solutions and giving more attention to websites and mobile apps. These were not considered a need back some years, but in 2021, a new venture will search for a website domain. From a bookshop to a bank and hardware store to a hospital, every business wants an online appearance.
The blog will cover digital age verification for online platforms.
This increases their target market as they are visible to every region. A billboard is seen by people that pass by that road, while a website can be explored anywhere and anytime. People can get the contact number of a shop by searching it on Google instead of finding it on a telephone directory. The advantages of online platforms are countless and the thing that can’t be ignored is associated risks. It raises some questions on how it will secure minors from accessing age-restricted content.
Digital Age Verification: A rising concern
The volatility of the market is high now as all the data is easily available online. Pornographic content can be accessed by kids easily without any hurdle. Now they are smart enough to bypass normal age verification checks. Most websites use a content checkbox method to confirm the age of online users. This method does not verify the age but relies on the consent of the users that they are above the specified age. This message is mostly used by websites that provide information like pictures, videos, or blogs.
While keeping in view the regulations, most businesses are obliged to perform age verification on every onboarding customer. As entertainment is not limited to cinemas only, but it is available on mobile phones and TV screens, which means that it can be accessed by everyone. Online businesses must understand the significance of age verification, the same as the casinos and drug stores perform it. These sectors practically verify the age of the customers. The verification is done by checking their ID documents. The shopkeeper manually checks the ID provided by the customers and sees if the age falls within the required limit. Only above the limit set by the business, the customers are entertained.
If businesses that are operating online do not verify the age of their customers, they could be penalized by the regulators. The non-compliance fines can cause a bad reputation for businesses in the market. Below are some risks that companies can face for not having an age verification solution.
What if businesses do not verify age of their customers
The regulations imposed by the EU named GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation) ensure the privacy of users prospective what services or products a business offers. They should make sure that user data is neither used by anyone else nor sold. This law came into existence when users complained to the authorities about the authorized use of their data (for example, for marketing research purposes). The GDPR has set a limit of fines which is 4% of the worldwide turnover of a company.
Not all offenses lead to compliance fines, UK’s ICO (Information Commissioner Office) has arranged actions other than fines.
- Issue warning letters
- Force temporary or even permanent ban on data processing
- Ask for erasure, constraint, or conversion of data
- Cease data transfer to third countries
On the other hand, COPPA (Children’s Online Privacy Act) had set a limit on non-compliance worth $160,000 that has now increased to $43,280 per violation.
Just like the on-site verification, online verification can also be done using ID documents. The process is a part of KYC verification, where ID documents are used to confirm the user-provided data. This is done when customers are signing up for online accounts. They have to upload images of ID and the software extracts the information form. Then the information is cross-verified with the customer given data.
Concluding the Above
Online age verification will help businesses in having a higher brand reputation in the market. Not only this, it will save them from penalties and sanctions while giving the best customer services aside.