Age assurance is one solution that can be used to keep children safe from online risks. In recent years, research has been undertaken to investigate and analyse different measures for age assurance online. As part of comprehensive EU efforts, as enshrined in the European Strategy for a Better Internet for Kids+ (the BIK+ strategy), the European Commission recently published a research report, Mapping age assurance typologies and requirements, that examines various types of age assurance and outlines ten essential requirements to consider when implementing age assurance tools.

However, effective implementation of age assurance remains a complex endeavour. Since any approach must be case- and context-sensitive, there is no one-size-fits-all solution. So far, there are few practical guidelines to determine whether age assurance is a proportionate measure, and how best it can be implemented to put the rights and interests of children and young people first.

To support and expand the implementation of proportionate age assurance methods, building on the EC’s latest research report, the Better Internet for Kids initiative is launching a self-assessment guide, the BIK age assurance self-assessment tool (and corresponding questionnaire), helping digital service providers to critically reflect on their digital services and how these may intersect with the protection of children and young people online. It offers practical guidance to digital services providers throughout the self-assessment process, providing relevant questions about age assurance to attain a robust and critically reflected decision-making process regarding the protection of minors online.

Digital service providers are strongly advised to complement this self-assessment tool with other assessments, and in connection with their own legal assessment of compliance with their various (legal) obligations in this context. 

Download the self-assessment tool manual and questionnaire here.