IEEE SA Works Toward Safer, Age-Appropriate Internet for Kids

Making the online world safe for children is critically important. That’s because one in three internet users worldwide is a child under 18. Not to mention that artificial intelligence (AI) and other evolving and emerging online technologies are not always moving in a healthy or appropriate direction for kids.

In response to those technological developments, worldwide, governments and regulatory bodies continue to explore mechanisms to increase digital platform safeguards that protect children. For example:

• Several states in the United States have passed laws imposing age-verification requirements to keep minors from accessing inappropriate online content or services.
• The U.K. has implemented an Age-Appropriate Design Code to protect children’s data.
• Australia has passed the world’s first ban on social media use by children under the age of 16, with substantial financial penalties for social platforms that don’t comply.

These significant regulatory advancements in major markets around the world, indicate the importance and urgency of the matter. As these markets evolve to comply with these regulations, implementers are also considering how to address age verification. Practically, how will social media platforms, gaming sites, and other providers of online products and services be able to verify the ages of their users accurately – and prove to regulators that they have made efforts to do so?

As a globally recognized body that sits at the intersection of policy, technology and society, the IEEE SA is well situated to help assist markets and regulatory bodies in realizing efficient and pragmatic outcomes through standardization. For example, the IEEE SA offers two methods to support stakeholders in this environment. The first method is the application of a global family of standards beginning with IEEE 2089™-2021, IEEE Standard for an Age Appropriate Digital Services Framework Based on the 5Rights Principles for Children, followed by the IEEE 2089.1™-2024, IEEE Standard for Online Age Verification. The latter is a second standard in the 2089 series of standards that support the design of age appropriate digital services through a design framework based on the 5Rights principles.

The IEEE 2089.1-2024 standard establishes a framework for the design, specification, evaluation, and deployment of age-verification systems. It helps companies, regulators, NGOs, foundations, and other interested parties develop effective age-verification programs and processes.

Among other things, it outlines:

• the roles and responsibilities of key actors in the age-assurance process;
• details requirements for establishing different levels of confidence associated with various types of age-assurance systems;
• requirements for privacy protection, data security, and information systems management specific to the age-assurance process.

This was followed by the development of the IEEE Online Age Verification Certification Program. This program assesses the design, specification, evaluation, and deployment of age verification systems against the framework identified in IEEE 2089.1.

IEEE SA has engaged with Age Check Certification Scheme Ltd, one of the world’s leading independent providers of testing and certification services for both online and offline systems that check age and identity, such as passport scanners, biometric technology, and age verification software.

IEEE SA has audited and accredited Age Check’s subsidiary AVID Certification Services Ltd., making it the first official provider of assurance and certification services for entities seeking to prove their conformance to IEEE 2089.1-2024.

“As the digital world continues to evolve, a reliable, secure, and globally recognized framework for verifying the age of online users is essential,” said Tony Allen, Founder and Chief Executive of Age Check Certification Scheme. “We are proud to be working with the IEEE Standards Association to advance the cause of online safety for the world’s youth.”

Avid Certification Services is also the organizer of the Global Age Assurance Standards Summit 2025, which will take place 8-10 April in Amsterdam, The Netherlands. Participants from more than 50 nations, including IEEE SA, will come together at the Summit to promote global standards, encourage widespread adoption of age assurance frameworks, harmonize global best practices for online child safety, exchange insights, share success stories, and build partnerships. IEEE SA is a Platinum Sponsor of the event.

IEEE 2089.1 is a follow-on to a base standard, IEEE 2089™-2021 – IEEE Standard for an Age Appropriate Digital Services Framework Based on the 5Rights Principles for Children. 5Rights is a global non-governmental organization (NGO) working with and for kids to develop a rights-respecting digital world dedicated to helping children access the digital world safely and knowledgeably.

IEEE 2089-2021 was the first in a growing family of standards focused on the design of online services based on 5Rights principles. It established an overall framework for developing age-appropriate digital services for situations where users are children. The framework centers around the following key areas:

1. recognition that the user is a child,
2. ensures that the online service provider considers the capacity and upholds the rights of children,
3. ensures that the service provider offers terms appropriate to children,
4. ensures that the service provider presents information in an age-appropriate way,
5. following the standard thereby offers a level of validation for the designs of online services

Companies that want to certify that their age verification designs and practices comply with IEEE 2089.1, and regulators seeking to assess their output, should visit the IEEE Online Age Verification Certification Program page, and get started by filling out the form that can be found there.

Online services will be safer as more age-appropriate design practices are used. The goal at IEEE SA is to drive change in industry, government, and policy so that online interactions continue to become more trustworthy and foster inclusion and opportunity, while mitigating risks.

To learn more about this important work and to become involved with IEEE SA’s efforts globally, visit our page on Designing Trustworthy Experiences for Children.

Authors:

• Jon Labrador, Associate Director for Conformity Assessment, IEEE SA
• Moira S. Patterson, Global Market Affairs & Community Engagement Director, IEEE SA