Regulation
Articles
Jul 28, 2023
Asking the FTC to approve facial age estimation for verifiable parental consent
Together with the Privacy Certified program of the Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) and Kids Web Services Ltd, a wholly owned Epic Games subsidiary, we are asking the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) for approval to implement facial age estimation as an authorised method for verifiable parental consent (VPC). The Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) requires companies to ensure they are not collecting personal data from children under the age of 13 without a parent’s consent. Currently, the COPPA Rule enumerates seven, non-exhaustive methods that enable parents to verify their consent. These include verification by government ID, credit card transaction,
Articles
Jul 19, 2023
UK games industry publishes new guidelines for Loot Boxes
Loot Boxes, found in certain video games, give players the opportunity to receive random items. They can be purchased with real or virtual money or through gameplay. Loot Boxes are a lucky dip; the player doesn’t know what item they will receive. They might unlock new levels or give the players access to special characters, equipment and weapons. Loot Boxes can add an element of excitement to the game. But concerns have been raised that the very nature of receiving a surprise item can be addictive. That Loot Boxes could encourage and be a pathway to problem gambling. Following these
Articles
Dec 03, 2022
Louisiana Age Verification Law: Arriving 2023
A new Louisiana law will allow parents to take legal action against companies that do not have reasonable age verification in place to keep minors out of porn sites and other sites containing harmful material. The law focuses on pornography, citing that “advances in technology, the universal availability of the internet, and limited age verification requirements” have created a public health crisis. The Louisiana Age Verification law will come into effect on 1st January 2023. It’s a significant milestone and demonstrates the important role an increasing number of lawmakers and regulators want age verification to play in keeping children
Articles
Jan 19, 2022
The UK's Online Safety Bill: moving towards a safer internet
The Online Safety Bill is the UK Government’s chance to make the internet safer for all. It is also a major step forward in the battle against online harms and goes hand in hand with our commitment to protect young people and the vulnerable online. While it’s the responsibility of everyone to make the internet a safer place, regulation is necessary to make businesses act responsibly. The Online Safety Bill’s key recommendations Since a first draft was issued in May, MPs and peers have made four recommendations, as well as many others, to strengthen the Bill: What’s illegal offline
Articles
Oct 14, 2021
In response to the ICO’s opinion on Age Assurance for the Children’s Code
The Age Appropriate Design Code is a statutory data protection code of practice from the ICO that applies to providers of Information Society Services that are likely to be accessed by children, such as apps, online games, and web and social media sites. The ICO released an Opinion that looks at how age assurance can form part of an appropriate and proportionate approach to reducing or eliminating risks and conforming to the code. This included opinions on age verification and age estimation technologies. We believe that some of the generalisations made about age estimation do not
Articles
Jun 24, 2021
A guide to the European Commission’s proposed legal framework for regulating high-risk AI systems
On 21 April 2021, not long after a leaked portion had caused a stir, the European Commission published its proposed legal framework for the regulation of artificial intelligence (“AI”). Whilst only a first draft, therefore subject to the push and pull of the amendment (or ‘trilogue’) process over the coming months, it marks an important milestone in the European Commission’s journey to engender a culture of ‘trustworthy’ artificial intelligence across the European Union. The proposal has important implications for the developers of biometric systems, like Yoti. Although it will undergo a number of revisions before the
