Youth Media Commission deems IDCheck.io suitable for verifying identities in online gambling scenarios
In the digital age, protecting children from harmful content and age-inappropriate material on the internet is a pressing concern. Germany has taken significant strides in this regard, with the Interstate Treaty on the Protection of Minors in the Media (KJM) setting the foundation for age verification and content restrictions in broadcasting and telemedia services.
The KJM, enacted in Germany, mandates that certain content must be subject to age checks to prevent minors' access. It also prohibits advertising that directly entices children to purchase or use marketed products or services, including on radio, TV, and telemedia platforms. This is part of a broader legal framework to ensure minors' protection across media forms.
However, a simple checkbox where users confirm their age is not considered a suitable solution for controlling access to such sites. Instead, technical means are used for age verification, with solutions being tested and assessed by the KJM. One such example is IDCheck.io, an automated, camera-based age verification solution that has been positively assessed by the KJM. This solution is now suitable for use in youth-endangering video and browser games, gambling offers, and pornographic content, contributing to child and youth protection.
IDnow, a company, has stated that there are areas on the internet that are not suitable for children and young people. Companies can submit their self-developed online age verification solutions to the KJM for evaluation, ensuring that only robust and effective solutions are implemented.
The ongoing draft Digital Media State Treaty (DMStV) aims to update and potentially strengthen age verification requirements for online media, aligning with EU standards. The draft includes proposals for robust age verification methods and content restrictions to comply with evolving digital challenges, but these are still provisional, under expert review, and not finalized.
In practice, online platforms subject to these regulations must implement measures such as age gates or more sophisticated age assurance techniques to restrict access to age-inappropriate content. Current discussions in other jurisdictions illustrate challenges in implementing effective but privacy-respecting age verification systems.
In summary, while the current treaty lays the foundation for age verification and content restrictions to protect minors in Germany’s media landscape, more specific online age verification regulations are expected soon with the DMStV adoption. The revised treaty will likely provide more detailed technical requirements for online age verification, ensuring a safer digital environment for children and young people.
"What technology is being used to verify the age of users in Germany to protect minors from accessing inappropriate content on the internet, such as casino-and-gambling websites?"
"IDCheck.io, an automated, camera-based solution, is one example of the technology being tested and assessed by the KJM for use in youth-endangering video and browser games, gambling offers, and pornographic content."
