Unsafe by Design? Examining Age Assurance Mechanisms and Child Protection on Digital Platforms

Abstract

Given the ease of unsupervised access and the growing risks faced by minors online, safeguarding children’s digital rights has become increasingly urgent. As personal data becomes a major economic asset, governments worldwide are enforcing stricter age assurance requirements for digital platforms. This study investigates age assurance mechanisms on the social media platforms most frequently used by Brazilian children and adolescents. First, we created test accounts and analyzed the terms of use and age assurance procedures of YouTube, TikTok, Instagram, and WhatsApp. Second, we examined contributions submitted to a public consultation on platform regulation conducted by the Comitê Gestor da Internet no Brasil (CGI.br) to identify expert concerns and expectations regarding age assurance. Third, we conducted a systematic mapping study of age verification research published between 2020 and 2025, examining categories of age verification methods, data modalities, evaluation approaches, and evidence regarding their effectiveness. Our findings indicate that platforms in Brazil largely mirror patterns observed in previous international studies, relying on mechanisms that can be easily circumvented. The literature similarly reveals the absence of a universally effective solution, highlighting trade-offs between robustness, privacy, and inclusion. Rather than proposing a new age-assurance mechanism, we provide a contextual and integrative examination of existing approaches within the Brazilian regulatory and child-protection context. Taken together, the results suggest that age assurance should not be understood solely as a technical challenge, but as a broader socio-technical issue involving child protection, data governance, and digital rights.