Introducing Yoti Keys: privacy-focused, seamless and anonymous age verification

profile picture Rachael Trotman 4 min read
An image of someone using their laptop. The screen shows the person choosing which method they'd like to use to prove their age.

We’re excited to announce a new age assurance solution: Yoti Keys. 

Yoti Keys let people verify their age once and gain continued access to an ecosystem of websites without having to prove their age again, regardless of if they are using an incognito or private browser. A Yoti Key, using passkey technology, doesn’t store any personal information. This helps people to remain completely anonymous but verified – all on their device.

 

How a Yoti Key works

  1. Complete an age check: The user completes an initial age check to prove their age. They can choose which method to use, including facial age estimation, Digital ID or an identity document. 
  2. Receive an age token: The user will be issued with a Yoti age token, as long as the website accepts these. When the user visits other websites that recognise Yoti age tokens, they can proceed with their online journey without having to prove their age again. However, age tokens do not work on incognito mode or other anonymous browsers.
  3. Create a Yoti Key: This is where Yoti Keys come in. Users can save their age token as a Yoti Key on their device. Yoti Keys work across all browsers, including incognito mode. 
  4. Use the Yoti Key for seamless browsing: The user can visit any website that accepts Yoti Keys, without having to prove their age every time. When they use the Yoti Key they will need to use their fingerprint or other device security to prevent someone else from using their Yoti Key.

 

Privacy-preserving, seamless age checks across devices 

The Yoti Key only contains information on the initial age check (such as the age method used and the time the age token was created). No personal details are included, making Yoti Keys a private and anonymous solution. 

Armed with a Yoti Key, individuals can pass any required age checks, on their browser of choice, without verifying their age from scratch every time. This creates a seamless and safe online experience.

Yoti Keys can also be used across linked devices. Yoti Keys are passkeys stored securely on the device’s operating system. If a user is signed into the same iCloud or Google account on other devices, their Yoti Key will sync automatically, letting them access content and accounts across phones, tablets, and laptops.

 

Meeting global regulations

Around the world, different regulators are introducing online safety laws aiming to protect children from accessing inappropriate content online. 

Yoti Keys are flexible and customisable to meet different global regulations. Each business defines their own criteria for accepting a Yoti Key, inline with their regulatory requirements. This includes how long ago the age check was done and how it was done, along with other key information.

As more people use our age solutions, the number of individuals who are able to create a Yoti Key continues to grow. In turn, as more businesses begin accepting Yoti Keys, this will help grow an even larger network of verified users.

Be part of this network and give your users a privacy-preserving, easy and anonymous age solution. To learn more about Yoti Keys, get in touch

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