Yoti blog
Stories and insights from the world of digital identity
Under the hood of facial age estimation
Since the UK Online Safety Act came into force on Friday 25th July, there has been a lot of discussion about how effective age checks are. Facial age estimation has been approved by Ofcom as a high assurance method for online age checks. It’s a quick, private and effective way to confirm if someone is above or below an age threshold. Each facial age estimation is quick and simple – taking around one second. This has sparked conversation when talking to businesses, press, regulators and governments – one of the most striking comments we’ve heard when showing them the
Articles
Jul 30, 2025
Thoughts from our CEO
In this blog series, our CEO Robin Tombs will be sharing his experience, whilst focusing on major themes, news and issues in the world of identity verification and age assurance. This month, Robin focuses on the Online Safety Act, talking about facial age estimation accuracy rates, the increase in Digital ID usage and reaction to the new legislation coming into effect. Online Safety Act sparks Digital ID boom The UK’s Online Safety Act came into effect on Friday 25th July, delivering some bumper results for Yoti. We launched our “Porno Pete” video across TikTok, YouTube, Instagram and Facebook
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Jul 28, 2025
Meet our anonymous facial age estimation technology
We developed our facial age estimation technology to provide a secure and private way to prove your age, without sharing identity documents or personal details like name or date of birth. It’s fast, accurate and anonymous. Here’s how our facial age estimation technology works, how it’s designed and why it’s one of the most privacy-friendly solutions available. What is facial age estimation? Facial age estimation is a safer and easier way to prove your age to access age-restricted goods, services and content. Completing a facial age estimation takes seconds – all you need to do is take a
Articles
Jul 25, 2025
Why am I being asked to prove my age online?
If you’ve recently been asked to prove your age while trying to access a website, use an app or watch a video online, you’re not alone. The UK’s Online Safety Act is now in force. From 25th July 2025, businesses are required, by law, to take stronger steps to protect children from harmful or inappropriate content online. One of the biggest changes is the introduction of age checks for online users. We break down exactly why you’re being asked to prove your age, how it works, what it means for your privacy and how we’re helping make age checks
Articles
Jul 25, 2025
Yoti supports platforms as UK’s Online Safety Act comes into force
Today marks a major moment for the internet in the UK: the country’s new Online Safety Act officially comes into force, bringing in a new chapter of accountability for digital platforms and service providers. From social media and gaming, to porn and dating, we’re pleased to be supporting platforms with highly effective, robust and privacy-preserving age assurance solutions. The legislation requires platforms to protect children from harmful or inappropriate content, prevent underage access, and build safer digital environments. Yoti’s age assurance technology is helping platforms to meet these new standards whilst protecting user privacy and anonymity. We’ve also been
Articles
Jul 24, 2025
How can I prove my age online?
You may have noticed that you’re being asked to prove your age more often online. This may be when you’re signing up for new streaming services, buying something online, making a new social media account or trying to access adult content. The UK’s Online Safety Act comes into effect on 25th July. It states that ticking a box saying “I’m over 18” is no longer good enough to keep children safe online. As a result, platforms must bring in stronger age checks for their users. It’s the responsibility of each platform to decide which age checking methods to accept.
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Get up to speed on what kind of company we are
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Mar 25, 2025
Discover Yoti's B Corp Impact Report
We’ve reached a full decade of being a B Corp! At Yoti, we believe technology has the power to create a safer, fairer and more trusted world. But as the world of technology evolves, we know we must remain mindful of how we do business. As part of our commitment to balancing profit and purpose, we’re thrilled to announce the release of our new B Corp Impact Report. It highlights our progress and impact in the areas that matter most to our stakeholders, our community and the planet. Highlights include: Improving the accessibility requirements of
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Protecting your heart and wallet: understanding romance scams
It is said that love makes the world go round. But as genuine daters are looking for love, there’s a growing risk of falling into a scammer’s trap. In this blog we explore the impact of romance fraud, common tactics used by fraudsters and how daters can protect themselves in their search for love. What is romance fraud? Romance fraud occurs when a scammer uses a fake profile and false identity to trick unsuspecting people on dating sites. They usually do this for fraudulent reasons and financial gain. The fraudster will often go to great lengths, convincing
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May 28, 2024
The importance of transparency for facial age estimation
To protect young people online, businesses need to provide age-appropriate experiences for their users. This could apply to online marketplaces, social media networks, content sharing platforms and gaming sites. But to put the correct measures in place, businesses need to know the ages of their customers. It was previously thought that the only way to confidently establish a user’s age was with an identity document, like a passport or driving licence, or checks to third-party databases such as credit reference agencies or mobile network operators. However, regulators are now recognising facial age estimation as an effective alternative. As with