AgeChecked has partnered up with Blockchain company Blockpass to stop users getting caught in age-restricting nets when browsing online.
The partnership between the two companies will help users to prove their age when visiting sites that restricts young users, such as gambling sites, when buying age-restricted products, or signing legal documents.
The Blockpass identity app lets users prove their age without having to part with their personal identifiable information meaning they can log in instantly and securely, rather than having to repeat the process each time they visit a website.
Businesses using the platform get access to a pool of pre-verified users, saving them time when getting new customers on board.
The systems do not store personal information, such as driving licences or credit card details, and users can create an anonymised account, giving them greater security and buyer protection.
Blockpass, which specialises in the process of identity verification or ‘Know Your Customer’ (KYC), gives people control over their data and eliminates the painful process of having to constantly submit documentation for every financial service or retailer used.
Age verification company AgeChecked will supply a certification that a user is of the correct age, which will be added to the blockchain to make verification quick and secure.
“Age verification and online safety have become a key talking point amongst businesses in recent months,” said AgeChecked CEO Alastair Graham.
“However, following the well-publicised misuse of the personal data of Facebook users, data privacy has now become a major concern, particularly when it comes to age verification.
“Of course, we need to ensure our children can use the internet safely, but we must also not forget about the customers who are actually old enough to access age restricted goods and services.
“As vital as age verification is to protect children, the process of proving your age must be kept extremely secure and simple to ensure it doesn’t prevent genuine customers from making a purchase.
“This is why we have joined forces with Blockpass, which provides businesses with a quick and easy, but also legally-compliant, method of verifying customers’ ages.
“Our solutions will ensure that site owners stay on the right side of the law, and help to prevent children from stumbling across inappropriate content or obtaining age-restricted goods or services.
“Alongside this, we will also be making the age verification process as robust and secure as possible, and not at the cost of the customer’s privacy.”
Adam Vaziri, CEO of Blockpass, added: “Our focus to date has been on identity verification, and AgeChecked’s has been on age verification.
“We do share similar aims of solving problems for our clients in terms of privacy, data minimisation, and security, so working in partnership was an obvious move.
“We look forward to working together with AgeChecked to provide the best possible product and service available.”