
Using age assurance processes to check children's age online must also respect their rights.
Digital services may block children from using them, but only when there's a good reason, like protecting them from adult content or gambling. We must carefully think about whether stopping children from using services is fair, considering their rights to:
Get and share information | Use media |
Connect with others | Learn and develop |
Play and learn | Be protected online |
While age assurance processes can help to protect children online, we should ask:
![]() | Does it work well? |
![]() | Are there better ways? |
![]() | Does it limit children's rights too much? |
Companies can use complementary methods to protect children, like:
![]() | age ratings |
![]() | easy-to-use parental controls. |
Remember that children grow and learn new skills. What works best or is fairest depends on how old they are.
Age assurance must be fair to all children. It should work for children with disabilities and use clear, simple language that everyone can understand, and be free from bias.
Artificial intelligence (AI), if used, should treat all children equally, without favouring some groups over others.
Further information and resources
Download the Age assurance toolkit here.

Using age assurance processes to check children's age online must also respect their rights.
Digital services may block children from using them, but only when there's a good reason, like protecting them from adult content or gambling. We must carefully think about whether stopping children from using services is fair, considering their rights to:
Get and share information | Use media |
Connect with others | Learn and develop |
Play and learn | Be protected online |
While age assurance processes can help to protect children online, we should ask:
![]() | Does it work well? |
![]() | Are there better ways? |
![]() | Does it limit children's rights too much? |
Companies can use complementary methods to protect children, like:
![]() | age ratings |
![]() | easy-to-use parental controls. |
Remember that children grow and learn new skills. What works best or is fairest depends on how old they are.
Age assurance must be fair to all children. It should work for children with disabilities and use clear, simple language that everyone can understand, and be free from bias.
Artificial intelligence (AI), if used, should treat all children equally, without favouring some groups over others.
Further information and resources
Download the Age assurance toolkit here.
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