Spotify, Reddit and X have all implemented age assurance systems to stop children from being exposed to inappropriate content.
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The worldwide online safety movement has paved the way in which for various artificial intelligence-powered products designed to maintain kids away from potentially harmful things on the web.
Within the U.K., a brand new piece of laws called the Online Safety Act imposes an obligation of care on tech firms to guard children from age-inappropriate material, hate speech, bullying, fraud, and child sexual abuse material (CSAM). Corporations can face fines as high as 10% of their global annual revenue for breaches.
Further afield, landmark regulations aimed toward keeping kids safer online are swiftly making their way through the U.S. Congress. One bill, often known as the Kids Online Safety Act, would make social media platforms accountable for stopping their products from harming children — just like the Online Safety Act within the U.K.
This push from regulators is increasingly causing something of a rethink at several major tech players. Pornhub and other online pornography giants are blocking all users from accessing their sites unless they undergo an age verification system.
Porn sites have not been alone in taking motion to confirm users ages, though. Spotify, Reddit and X have all implemented age assurance systems to stop children from being exposed to sexually explicit or inappropriate materials.
Such regulatory measures have been met with criticisms from the tech industry — not least on account of concerns that they could infringe web users’ privacy.
Digital ID tech flourishing
At the center of all these age verification measures is one company: Yoti.
Yoti produces technology that captures selfies and uses artificial intelligence to confirm someone’s age based on their facial expression. The firm says its AI algorithm, which has been trained on thousands and thousands of faces, can estimate the age of 13 to 24-year-olds inside two years of accuracy.
The firm has previously partnered with the U.K.’s Post Office and is hoping to capitalize on the broader push for government-issued digital ID cards within the U.K. Yoti isn’t alone within the identity verification software space — other players include Entrust, Persona and iProov. Nevertheless, the corporate has been probably the most distinguished provider of age assurance services under the brand new U.K. regime.
“There may be a race on for child safety technology and repair providers to earn trust and confidence,” Pete Kenyon, a partner at law firm Cripps, told CNBC. “The brand new requirements have undoubtedly created a brand new marketplace and providers are scrambling to make their mark.”
Yet the rise of digital identification methods has also led to concerns over privacy infringements and possible data breaches.
“Substantial privacy issues arise with this technology getting used,” said Kenyon. “Trust is essential and can only be earned by way of stringent and effective technical and governance procedures adopted to be able to keep personal data protected.”
Rani Govender, policy manager for child safety online at British child protection charity NSPCC, said that the technology “already exists” to authenticate users without compromising their privacy.
“Tech firms must make deliberate, ethical selections by selecting solutions that protect children from harm without compromising the privacy of users,” she told CNBC. “One of the best technology doesn’t just tick boxes; it builds trust.”
Child-safe smartphones
The wave of latest tech emerging to stop children from being exposed to online harms is not just limited to software.
Earlier this month, Finnish phone maker HMD Global launched a brand new smartphone called the Fusion X1, which uses AI to stop kids from filming or sharing nude content or viewing sexually explicit images from the camera, screen and across all apps.
The phone uses technology developed by SafeToNet, a British cybersecurity firm focused on child safety.
Finnish phone maker HMD Global’s recent smartphone uses AI to stop children from being exposed nude or sexually explicit images.
HMD Global
“We consider more must be done on this space,” James Robinson, vp of family vertical at HMD, told CNBC. He stressed that HMD got here up with the concept for kids’s devices prior to the Online Safety Act getting into force, but noted it was “great to see the federal government taking greater steps.”
The discharge of HMD’s child-friendly phone follows heightened momentum within the “smartphone-free” movement, which inspires parents to avoid letting their children own a smartphone.
Going forward, the NSPCC’s Govender says that child safety will turn out to be a major priority for digital behemoths akin to Google and Meta.
The tech giants have for years been accused of worsening mental health in children and youths on account of the rise of online bullying and social media addiction. They in return argue they’ve taken steps to handle these issues through increased parental controls and privacy features.
“For years, tech giants have stood by while harmful and illegal content spread across their platforms, leaving young people exposed and vulnerable,” she told CNBC. “That era of neglect must end.”
