Tech companies are implementing ‘age assurance’ tech. Here’s how it works.

The Canadian government has recently enacted new digital safety legislation that would impose a ban on social media usage for individuals under the age of 16. In response, major technology companies are increasingly relying on age assurance technology to estimate the age of their users. Age assurance encompasses various methods employed by tech platforms to determine a user's age, including traditional age declarations such as the "click to verify you're 18" boxes, as well as more advanced age estimation techniques.

Age estimation utilizes artificial intelligence (AI) technology to predict a user's age based on a variety of factors, such as online behavior and the images they post. In addition to this, tech companies also implement age verification methods that require users to prove their age, often through the submission of government-issued identification.

Google has been actively working on age assurance technology in the U.S. and recently announced its expansion to Canada. The company's approach assesses factors like search queries and the types of videos viewed on YouTube. When a user is identified as underage by Google, their accounts are granted additional protections, such as reminders to take breaks, content restrictions, and the disabling of personalized advertising.

If an adult is mistakenly classified as underage, they can provide identification tools like a government ID, selfie, or credit card check to verify their age. Google plans to use a service called PrivateID to analyze selfies and determine if the user is of legal age. The company assures that PrivateID will only provide their date of birth, not the image itself or the user's precise age, and will ultimately delete the ID after a brief period.

Similarly, Meta has implemented age assurance measures for its platforms. If the company suspects a user is under 18, they are placed in a teen account, which comes with extra safeguards limiting contact and content access. Meta's AI analyzes comprehensive profile information, including posts, comments, bios, and captions, to estimate the likelihood of an account belonging to an underage user.

In such cases, the account will be deactivated, and the user will need to verify their age through Meta's age verification process. In May, Meta also began using visual analysis to scan photos and videos for visual clues about a person's age. The AI does not identify the individual in the image or employ facial recognition.