Can Age Verification in Gaming Keep Up With AI Fakes?
▼ Summary
– Discord implemented age verification in the UK, requiring users to confirm they’re over 18 via government ID or face scan due to new child safety laws.
– Siyan bypassed Discord’s face scan by using a posed screenshot of a character from the game *Death Stranding*, which went viral on social media.
– Age verification is spreading globally, with companies like Google and Roblox adopting AI-driven checks, but the systems remain imperfect and exploitable.
– Critics argue current age verification methods are flawed, raising privacy concerns and failing to fully prevent bypasses using AI or gaming workarounds.
– Experts warn that existing verification can be fooled through fake IDs, AI, or other methods, calling for more robust solutions to improve security.
The rise of age verification systems in gaming platforms faces mounting challenges as users find creative ways to bypass restrictions using AI and video game characters. When UK regulations recently mandated stricter age checks, Discord users like Siyan discovered unexpected loopholes. Rather than submitting official identification, some turned to in-game photo modes to generate convincing facial images that could trick verification software.
Siyan, who preferred to remain anonymous, found himself locked out of certain Discord channels until completing an age check. Unwilling to share personal documents, he experimented with alternative methods. After attempts with emojis failed, he used Death Stranding’s character creator to pose Sam, modeled after actor Norman Reedus, in ways that matched facial recognition requirements. His success spread quickly online, inspiring others to test similar tactics in games like God of War and Stellar Blade.
Governments and tech companies are increasingly pushing for digital age verification, particularly in regions with strict child safety laws. Platforms like Roblox and YouTube now employ AI-driven estimation tools, while adult content sites use verification to restrict underage access. Yet these systems remain vulnerable. Beyond gaming exploits, generative AI advancements raise concerns about fabricated identities slipping through checks. Real-time deepfake technology could soon make deception even harder to detect.
Privacy advocates also worry about data security. Handing over sensitive documents or biometric scans introduces risks if companies suffer breaches. Meanwhile, critics argue current verification methods fail on multiple fronts. David Maimon, a fraud expert and criminology professor, notes that liveness checks, designed to confirm real human presence, can still be defeated using pre-recorded videos, stolen IDs, or synthetic media.
While age gates aim to protect minors, their effectiveness hinges on evolving countermeasures. As users continue testing boundaries with gaming exploits and AI tools, developers face an ongoing race to close gaps. The challenge isn’t just verifying age, it’s ensuring these systems can’t be outsmarted by increasingly sophisticated workarounds.
(Source: Wired)
