Q: I’m starting to get more websites asking me to verify my age before letting me in — is this safe?
A: What started as an effort to keep children away from harmful online content is beginning to reshape how adults use the internet, as well.
A growing number of states have passed laws requiring websites to verify a user’s age before allowing access to certain content or services. Most of the early laws focused on adult websites, but newer proposals are expanding to include social media platforms and apps that use personalized content feeds.
The goal is understandable: Lawmakers want to make it harder for children to access harmful material online. The challenge is figuring out how to confirm someone’s age without creating new privacy risks for everyone else.
How age verification works
Some websites use simple methods that ask users to enter a birth date, but those systems are easy to bypass. More advanced verification systems require something harder to fake, such as a government-issued ID, a credit card or even a facial scan.
That’s where privacy concerns begin.
The more accurate the verification method becomes, the more sensitive information users may have to provide just to browse a website or use an app.
In many cases, the verification process is not handled by the website itself. Instead, a third-party verification company is brought in to confirm your age and return a simple “yes” or “no” response to the site.
Many of these companies say they do not permanently store uploaded identification documents, but privacy advocates remain concerned about the risks. Any company that collects driver’s licenses, facial scans or other personal information becomes a potentially valuable target for hackers.
Groups such as the Electronic Frontier Foundation argue that widespread age verification could slowly normalize the idea that people must identify themselves before accessing online content.
Who could be affected?
The impact could eventually extend far beyond adult websites.
Some newer laws and proposals apply to platforms that use algorithm-driven recommendations, which includes many of the websites and apps people use every day. California’s Digital Age Assurance Act, scheduled to take effect in 2027, could eventually allow devices or app stores to share age-range information directly with apps.
Some companies have already decided it’s easier to block access in certain states rather than build complicated verification systems.
What you should watch for
If a website suddenly asks you to verify your age, pause before automatically uploading personal information.
Look carefully at who is operating the verification service and whether the company clearly explains how your data is handled. Legitimate services should provide an easy-to-find privacy policy that explains what information is collected, whether it is stored and how long it is retained.
If you cannot easily determine who is handling the verification or what happens to your information afterward, it may be smarter to leave the site than hand over sensitive personal data to an unfamiliar service.
The internet has gradually become less private over the years, but age verification laws may accelerate that trend in ways many people have not fully considered yet.
Understanding who is asking for your information and why is becoming an increasingly important part of staying safe online.
Ken Colburn is founder and CEO of Data Doctors Computer Services. Ask any tech question on Facebook or X.