The issue of youth protection on the internet, in particular on social media sites, has magnified supporting regulation.
BSI will be issuing a new international framework to support age assurance technologies, and its research suggests almost half of youths would choose to live in a world without the internet.
The security, privacy and reliability of age assurance systems ensures the appropriate age of users using the platform.
The standard, Information security, cybersecurity and privacy protection – Age assurance systems – Framework (BS ISO/IEC 27566-1), establishes internationally agreed characteristics for trustworthy age assurance. It aims to help organisations determine users’ ages without requiring full identity verification in every case, supporting privacy by default while enabling more effective protection for minors.
The publication comes as governments worldwide tighten regulation of online platforms. Last week, the UK Government announced plans to consult on a potential social media ban for under-16s, following Australia’s example and alongside implementation of the Online Safety Act. Similar approaches are emerging through the EU Digital Services Act and the forthcoming EU Digital Identity Wallet.
50% of adolescents believe a social media curfew would improve their lives. Two-thirds reported spending more than two hours a day on social media.
Despite increasing regulatory attention, effective age assurance remains limited. Research from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development found that only two out of 50 online services aimed at children systematically verify age at account creation.
Laura Bishop, Digital Sector Lead for Artificial Intelligence and Cyber Security at BSI, said safeguarding young people online requires both technical and cultural change.
“Safeguarding the online well-being of adolescents and children is paramount, and we are seeing evidence of worrying behaviours,” she said. “At the same time, the digital world is here to stay, and we need to focus on fostering human-centric design of platforms, then empowering children and parents through education to navigate them safely.
“Age assurance is a vital tool in the armoury of creating an online world in which children can thrive safely and securely. BS ISO/IEC 27566-1 can act as a starting point in our journey towards a safe online world, by providing a practical framework establishing clear characteristics for trustworthy systems.”
