The initiative promotes principles focused on user privacy and regulatory consistency
The Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada (OPC) has joined privacy regulators worldwide in supporting an international joint statement to develop a unified approach to age-assurance methods.
These methods are designed to protect children online by verifying their age, safeguarding them from potentially harmful content, and limiting the collection of their personal data.
The statement, led by the UK’s Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO), has gained endorsements from data protection authorities in several countries, including Canada, Gibraltar, the Philippines, Argentina, and Mexico. The initiative promotes common principles for age assurance that prioritize user privacy and regulatory consistency across jurisdictions.
Privacy Commissioner of Canada Philippe Dufresne emphasized the importance of age assurance as a tool for safeguarding children in the digital world. “Age assurance can be one important way to protect children, both from inappropriate or harmful online content, and the risks that may arise from the collection and processing of their personal information,” Dufresne stated.
The OPC’s participation in this initiative aligns with its broader efforts to champion children’s privacy rights. In addition to supporting the ICO-led statement, the OPC has been consulting with stakeholders to develop its own policies and guidelines on age assurance. Recently, it closed an exploratory consultation period on the privacy implications of age-assurance systems, with the feedback now under review.
The international statement represents a collaborative effort among global privacy regulators to address the challenges posed by age verification in a rapidly evolving digital landscape. Established by the ICO in 2022, the International Age Assurance Working Group aims to provide a platform for data protection authorities to exchange information and insights on age-assurance methods, focusing on privacy and data protection.
By endorsing the statement, Canada and other participating countries advocate for a standardized approach that balances technological innovation with stringent privacy safeguards. The document outlined principles encouraging privacy-preserving, transparent, and effective age-assurance practices. It emphasized that any personal data collected for age verification must be strictly limited to what is necessary and must be processed fairly and lawfully.
The joint statement remains open for additional signatures, inviting other regulators worldwide to adopt these shared principles and contribute to a globally harmonized approach to age assurance.
