Livestreaming platform Twitch has announced that it will require both new and existing users in some areas to complete an age verification process through a facial ID scan.
Many websites have recently started to introduce age verification because of new rules and regulations. Twitch is the latest name to announce its own method of verifying the ages of its users to comply with those regulations. The platform will require users to perform a facial scan to verify their ages in a bid to “keep the community safe.” Users may be curious about how the age verification process works and who will be required to comply with it, as Twitch has explained the process.
Age verification on Twitch is relatively straightforward, with users simply using their device’s camera to scan their face and complete the process.
The age verification requirement is unavoidable for those affected, and all of the platform’s users in affected areas will need to complete the process. New users who create a fresh account will need to complete the age verification process when signing up, while existing users may be prompted when they log into their accounts.
That prompt will explain the requirements, and users can then provide Twitch with a facial scan by allowing camera access. Then it’s just a matter of following the onscreen instructions. Age verification status will be provided once the scan is complete, and approval typically takes just a few minutes. Users need to ensure they’re seated in a well-lit environment with glasses and headgear that covers the face taken off to ensure the facial scan is conducted successfully.
Twitch claims that the the facial data isn’t saved and that the video is analyzed on the user’s device itself, but many of the platform’s users have expressed unease with the process regardless.
Twitch states that currently, only its users in regions where age verification is a requirement for online platforms like Twitch will be subject to the process.
The Amazon-backed livestreaming platform is used worldwide, and it has to comply with the regulations of each region in which it operates. The age verification requirement varies between those regions in accordance with their varied laws. The United Kingdom is perhaps the most prominent example of a place that moving forward will require Twitch and other streaming platforms to verify the ages of their users.
Twitch’s own age requirements state that users must be at least 13 years old. The platform typically trusts its users, allowing them to input their own date of birth at will. But now users who are in regions like the UK, where age verification is compulsory, will be required to perform a facial scan to verify their ages. The recorded data will be analyzed by k-ID, Twitch’s 3rd party vendor. Users’ ages will then be estimated by software on the device, and users who are of age will be able to use Twitch once they pass the requirement.
Feature image credit: Twitch
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