The Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) has introduced a new verification system for parental consent in video gaming to improve online child safety and compliance with the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) Rule.
As Eurogamer reports, the ESRB proposes "Privacy-Protective Facial Age Estimation" in collaboration with digital ID platform Yoti and child safety tools specialist SuperAwesome to assure age-appropriate gaming experiences.
This cutting-edge technology utilizes facial recognition software to verify parental consent, creating a new standard for safeguarding young gamers.
ESRB's Vision
Statistics from studies show 90-99% of American children play video games. Alarmingly, 8.5% of young people aged 8 to 18 have a gaming disorder.
The ESRB, responsible for age ratings in games across the US and Canada, has taken a proactive approach to ensure COPPA compliance.
Under COPPA regulations, online services must secure parental consent before collecting personal information from children under 13.
With the surge in young gamers accessing online platforms, it is crucial to establish a reliable and secure consent verification process.
Facial Age Estimation: How It Works
The proposed "Privacy-Protective Facial Age Estimation" mechanism harnesses the power of facial recognition technology.
When a parent or guardian seeks to grant consent, the system analyzes their facial geometry to determine their age.
If the estimated age surpasses the 25-year threshold specified in the proposal, parental consent is granted, and the child can access age-appropriate content.
However, if the estimated age falls below the threshold, consent is not permitted, ensuring a higher level of safety for young users.
Yoti and SuperAwesome, have been instrumental in developing this novel verification mechanism. The collaboration began in 2019, focusing on exploring facial age estimation for verifiable parental consent.
With ESRB joining the project in early 2023, the partnership has brought together expertise from different domains to address a shared goal of enhanced child protection in the digital age.
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FTC Seeking Public Comment
To ensure transparency and accountability, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) published the ESRB's proposal on July 19, seeking public comments.
The FTC, which enforces consumer protection laws, aims to gather insights from various stakeholders, including consumers and industry experts.
Public feedback will focus on potential risks to personal information and biases in the facial age estimation results across different demographics.
What's Next?
If approved, "Privacy-Protective Facial Age Estimation" could revolutionize parental consent procedures not only in the US but also globally.
Any online service operating from within the US would be able to employ this technology to verify parental consent for children under 13, regardless of their location.
This standardized approach could significantly enhance child safety measures and ease compliance efforts for companies operating internationally.
Parents and guardians can have greater confidence in their children's online activities, knowing that age-appropriate content is accessible.
Furthermore, gaming companies can mitigate the risk of non-compliance with COPPA and foster a more secure gaming environment for their young users.
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