In an increasingly complex digital world, ensuring that minors do not access inappropriate content has become a major legal and operational challenge. The UK, with its Online Safety Act 2023, marks a turning point: platforms that fail to implement robust age controls face fines of up to £18 million or 10% of their global turnover, and even blocking of services.
Spain, Germany and Brazil are moving in the same direction, each with their own regulatory interpretation, but with a common goal: to protect minors and ensure digital companies bear the responsibility.
Against this backdrop, the question for any platform is not whether it needs to verify the age of its users, but how to do so efficiently, scalably and without compromising the user experience. That's where Telefónica Open Gateway - Age Verification comes in: a solution designed to turn this obligation into a competitive advantage.
How the online age verification solution works
The Age Verification solution allows companies to know in real time whether a user meets the minimum age requirement to access regulated content or services, using only the data already verified by the mobile carrier. This means that there is no need to ask the user for documents, selfies or additional sensitive information, as the check is done automatically, reliably and privately.
The value of this approach is twofold. On the one hand, companies comply with the regulations without exposing themselves to fines running upward into millions of dollars. On the other hand, they offer users a smooth, frictionless experience, reducing abandonment and increasing loyalty. Verification is based on official data, such as the records associated with the SIM card or information collected during line activation, ensuring trust, traceability and legal compliance.
In addition, the solution is a standardised and global one, meaning that a single integration provides for the age verification of users from multiple countries and carriers. This greatly streamlines the operation for international platforms and reduces costs and technical complexity, avoiding the need for specific solutions for each market.
Where can or should the Age Verification solution be applied?
Social networks and platforms with young users
Social networks face the challenge of protecting minors from inappropriate content or risky interactions. The Age Verification API allows for quick and discreet verification of one’s legal age, without the user having to submit documents every time they interact with sensitive functions. This not only complies with regulatory requirements, but also protects the reputation of the platform and bolsters the trust of adult users.
Online gaming and betting platforms
For casinos, lotteries or sports betting, age verification is a legal obligation even before allowing users to play, even in free modes. The integration allows for real-time age verification, ensuring regulatory compliance, reducing the risk of fraud and preventing under-age users from accessing services. The result is a safer, faster and more reliable process, with minimal friction for adult players.
E-commerce and retail of age-restricted products
The online sale of alcohol, tobacco or other regulated products requires confirmation that the purchaser is of legal age. The solution allows this to be validated instantly during the purchase, minimising friction and avoiding subsequent errors or blockages, without the need to collect sensitive personal data for each transaction.
Responsible advertising and safe targeting
In regulated categories, ensuring that advertisements only reach adults is crucial to protecting minors and avoiding fines. Through this solution, this targeting is facilitated because advertisers know that their content is only shown to verified users, thus reducing the legal risks and optimising the return on advertising investment.
What are the benefits of implementing a solution like Age Verification?
Implementing age verification with Telefónica Open Gateway is not only a regulatory compliance, but also a strategic opportunity.
This solution allows for an easy and scalable solution:
1. Reduces legal and reputational risks: by having robust verification based on official carrier data, companies avoid fines and blockages.
2. Improves the user experience: without documents and selfies, users enjoy smoother access to services and content.
3. Global scalability and efficiency: a single integration serves multiple markets and carriers, reducing costs and development time.
4. Privacy and trust: only strictly necessary information is shared: a simple flag indicating whether the user meets the minimum age.
In short, online age verification no longer results in a complex and risky procedure; it turns into a competitive advantage. With Telefónica Open Gateway - Age Verification, companies can comply with the strictest regulatory requirements, protect minors, improve user experience and reduce legal risks, all through a single, scalable integration.
In a market where regulation is rapidly evolving and user trust is more than necessary, having a robust, efficient and privacy-focused solution is no longer just an obligation, but an opportunity to stand out.
More information about Age Verification on the Open Gateway website.
