Kids bypass age verification with fake moustaches
Source: Hacker News
It’s been months since the UK government began requiring stronger age checks under the Online Safety Act, and recent research suggests those measures are falling short of keeping kids away from harmful content. In some cases, even drawing on a moustache has been reported as enough to fool age‑detection software.
According to UK online‑safety group Internet Matters, the limits are easy to sidestep. The group surveyed over 1,000 UK children and their parents. While the report noted some positive effects from changes made under the OSA, many children saw age verification as an easy‑to‑bypass hurdle rather than a genuine safety measure.
Findings from the Internet Matters report
Age‑verification bypass methods
- 46 % of children said age checks were easy to bypass; only 17 % said they were difficult.
- Common tricks include:
- Using a video‑game character to fool video‑selfie systems.
(The Register – video selfie systems) - Entering a fake birthdate or using someone else’s ID card.
- Drawing a moustache on the face to fool detection filters.
- Using a video‑game character to fool video‑selfie systems.
Despite nearly half of UK kids finding age checks easy, 32 % said they had actually bypassed them.
Parental involvement
- 17 % of parents admitted to actively helping their kids evade age checks.
- An additional 9 % turned a blind eye.
- Parents often justified their actions by claiming they understood the risks and could supervise the activity.
“When speaking to parents and children about these situations, they described scenarios in which parents felt they understood the risks involved and, based on their knowledge of their child, were confident the activity was safe.” – Internet Matters
Impact and concerns
- 49 % of surveyed children reported encountering harmful content online recently, indicating that even those who don’t bypass age gates are still exposed.
- The report concludes that the OSA is falling short of its core goal: protecting children from harmful online material.
Calls for stronger action
- Rachel Huggins, CEO of Internet Matters, urged:
“Stronger action is needed from both government and industry to ensure that children can only access online services appropriate for their age and stage and where safety is built in from the outset, rather than added in response to harm.” - She highlighted the prime minister’s recent talks with social‑media firms as a “timely opportunity for positive change.”
(Gov.uk – PM calls on social‑media companies)