Amba Karsondas Profile Picture

Amba Karsondas

Amba is responsible for all things Social Purpose at Yoti, ensuring that Yoti effectively balances profit with purpose and continually upholds its ethical and moral commitments.

An image of a woman who is looking at her driving licence. The accompanying text next to the image reads “Tobacco and Vapes Bill - United Kingdom”.

Understanding age assurance in the UK’s Tobacco and Vapes Bill

In a significant move towards tightening regulations on tobacco and vaping products, the UK has introduced the Tobacco and Vapes Bill. Originally introduced by the previous Conservative government, the Bill has now been reintroduced by the new Labour government, signalling bipartisan support. The Bill aims to create a “smoke-free generation” by gradually raising the age of sale for tobacco and vaping products every year until they are completely phased out across the UK.   What is the main aim of the Tobacco and Vapes Bill? The Tobacco and Vapes Bill seeks to tighten the regulatory framework around tobacco and

7 min read
An image of man with an 'over 18' facial age estimation credential. Around him are icons representing the gambling, gaming, financial services and retail industries.

How Yoti’s facial age estimation is used across different industries

Checking users’ ages has never been more critical for businesses catering to diverse audiences. However, they’re faced with the challenge of effectively verifying the ages of their users whilst maintaining seamless and user-friendly experiences.  Yoti’s facial age estimation is a secure, privacy-preserving way to do just that. Our technology is used across a variety of industries, both online and in-person. This includes retail, social media, dating, gaming, gambling and financial services. In this blog, we explore how businesses are using facial age estimation to create safer, more positive experiences for their users.   What is facial age estimation? Facial

10 min read
Image of woman's face being estimated for age, which is not the same as facial recongition

Why Yoti’s facial age estimation is not facial recognition

There’s quite a bit of confusion about the differences between facial age estimation and facial recognition. While both types of technology work with images of faces, they’re used for different reasons and are trained in different ways. To help clear up some of these misconceptions, we’ve explained some of the key ways that our facial age estimation is not facial recognition.   Facial age estimation vs. facial recognition: designed to give two different outcomes. Facial age estimation delivers an estimated age result. Facial recognition delivers a match (or no match) between images of a person. [vc_column_text

9 min read
Image of a person whose face is being checked to see whether or not it is a computer generated image

Deepfake laws: Global regulations in the digital age against sexually explicit and criminal use of deepfakes

If someone said the word ‘deepfake’ just a decade ago, nobody would know what they were talking about. The term hadn’t been coined and the technology as we know it hadn’t yet been created. Fast forward to the present day and it seems as though deepfakes are everywhere. However, their explosive and widespread prevalence has highlighted some serious problems such as criminal offence and sexually explicit deepfakes.. In response, regulatory bodies are beginning to pass laws to combat these issues, but they’re competing against the rapid evolution of the technology. This article gives a snapshot of some of

12 min read
A woman smiling whilst sitting down and using a laptop.

Understanding Australia's Digital ID Acts

Australia’s Digital ID Acts mark a significant milestone for Digital ID use across the world. Having just received Royal Assent, the Acts aim to provide people with a secure, convenient way to prove their identity online. Here’s some of the key information you need to know.   What are Australia’s new Digital ID Acts? Australia’s Digital ID Acts are made up of two different (but similarly named) pieces of legislation. These are the Digital ID Act 2024 and the Digital ID (Transitional and Consequential Provisions) Act 2024. Together, they are known simply as “the Digital ID Acts”.   Why

7 min read
An image of Robin with accompanying text that reads "Thoughts from our CEO, Robin Tombs, June 2024".

Thoughts from our CEO

In this blog series, our CEO Robin Tombs will be sharing his experience, whilst focusing on major themes, news and issues in the world of identity verification and age assurance. There’s been a lot about facial age estimation this month, with Robin talking about its use by Meta in Australia as well as our facial age estimation demo site. He also chats about Yoti’s NIST assessment and how Digital IDs can be used to combat fraud.   Meta introduces facial age estimation in Australia We’re delighted Meta is rolling out Yoti’s facial age estimation on Facebook, starting in Australia.

6 min read