标准2025英国标准协会（BSI）发布了一项新的有效检查年龄的规程，，以保护儿童免于在网上浏览成人内容。
新的规程帮助在线服务提供商（如约会、赌博及成人娱乐公司）在无需获得个人全部身份的情况下便可验证个人年龄。
新的规程受到数字策略联盟的支持，出台非常及时，英国99%的儿童有上网行为[1]，其中一半的儿童只有三岁，会定期获得网上内容[2]，而10岁至15岁的儿童中，只有8%的家长在其上网时起到监督作用[3]。
新规程——PAS 1296： 2018年上网年龄检测——网上年龄检测服务规定及用途——规程，提供建议，防止未达到年龄要求的用户：
- 上网购买有年龄限制的商品
- 上网获取有年龄限制的内容（如，成人内容）
- 使用有年龄限制的网上服务（如约会中介所）
- 在平台和应用上获取有害内容。
数据保密问题及网上卖主如何保护保密信息在指南中名为“数据屏蔽”的部分中有所陈述（先于下月一般数据保护条例（GDPR）最后限期）。这保证推荐的步骤，通过相关措施如数据缩小、透明、同意及假名化，与一般数据保护条例中“隐私设计”原则一致。
BSI的标准主任斯科特.斯蒂德曼（Scott Steedman）指出：“家长、企业及监管者一致同意，必须采取更多措施，保护18岁以下的人免于在网上获得有年龄限制的内容。该指南将帮助企业降低风险——让儿童进入在不该访问的内容中，同时仍尊重守法成年消费者的隐私权。”
推动PAS规程制定的数字策略联盟（）主席埃罗尔（Earl of Errol）伯爵：“我们很快意识到有必要复制现实世界中已有的关于成人和儿童的保护措施。重要的是要知道你在和一个适合年龄的人打交道，关于这点，PAS会给出一些常识指导。PAS 1296的制定是为了避免儿童偶然碰到不合适的成人娱乐，DPA会继续支持年龄检测，以保护儿童免受网络世界对所有年龄层都有限制的商品及服务的影响。”
PAS将帮助那些需要遵守年龄检测相关法律要求的企业。不遵守相关法律或相关合规体制不完善所带来的风险包括行政处分、民事或刑事诉讼及声誉受损。
新的指南承认组织有必要采取量身定制的方法解决网上年龄核对检查问题，而不是采取“一刀切”的方法，这是因为企业的性质千差万别，如在线赌博网站，相比售卖12级电影的网站来说，应该拥有更加严格的年龄检查手段。例如，年龄限制的指南也会阻止40岁的成年人报名参加16岁以下的俱乐部。
以下组织参与PAS 1296推动委员会的相关工作：年龄检查、年龄验证供应商协会、亚里士多德国际、Avoco、监管交付办公室、英美烟草公司、BSI消费者与公共利益网络、Co-opted members、数字策略联盟、ICM注册公司、Nicoventures、BAT集团、波特兰广播有限公司、信任提升、Verime (Telecom2 Ltd)和Yoti。
以下机构也为制定PAS提供了额外支持：Brickchain 有限公司、GBG PLC及律商联讯。
New guidance to protect children from viewing adult content online
A new code of practice for effective age checks to protect children from viewing adult content online has been published by BSI, the UK’s National Standards Body.
The guidance assists online service providers – such as dating, gambling and adult entertainment firms – to verify an individual’s age without being able to access their full identity.
Backed by the Digital Policy Alliance, the guidance is timely given that 99% of children in the UK are now online[1]. Half of children as young as three regularly access online content[2], and of 10 to 15 year olds, just 8% of parents supervise them while online[3].
The guidance – PAS 1296: 2018 Online age checking – provision and use of online age checks services – code of practice – provides recommendations to prevent ineligible users from:
a.) Buying age-restricted goods online
b.) Accessing age-restricted content online (e.g. adult content)
c.) Using age-restricted online services (e.g. dating agencies)
d.) Accessing harmful content on platforms and apps
Data privacy concerns – ahead of next month’s GDPR deadline – are addressed in the guidance with a section covering ‘data masking’, and how an online vendor can protect confidential information. This ensures that the processes recommended adhere to the GDPR “privacy by design” principle, through measures such as data minimization, transparency and consent and pseudonymization.
Scott Steedman, Director of Standards at BSI, said: “Parents, businesses and regulators agree that more must be done to protect those under 18 from accessing age-restricted content online. This guidance will help organizations to reduce the risk of children being exposed to material they shouldn’t be able to access, whilst still respecting the privacy rights of law-abiding adult consumers.”
Earl of Erroll, Chair of the Digital Policy Alliance, which facilitated development of the PAS, said: “We rapidly realized the requirement to replicate some of the protections that exist for children and adults in the real world. It is essential to know that you are dealing with someone of the right age and this PAS gives common sense guidance on how to do that. PAS 1296 was created to avoid children stumbling across inappropriate adult entertainment, and the DPA will continue to champion age checking to protect children from all age restricted goods and services in the online world.”
The PAS will assist businesses that are required to comply with the legal requirements involved in conducting age checks. Risks for non-compliance or for those with inadequate compliance systems include disciplinary sanctions, civil or criminal action against the business, and reputational damage.
The new guidance recognizes the need for organizations to adopt a tailored approach to online age verification checks, rather than a ‘one-size-fits-all’ process. This is due to the varying natures of these businesses, such as an online gambling website, which should have more stringent age-checking measures than a website selling 12-rated films. The age restricted guidance would also prevent a 40 year old from attempting to sign up to an under 16s club, for example.
The following organizations were involved in the steering committee for PAS 1296: AgeChecked; Age Verification Providers Association; Aristotle International; Avoco; Better Regulation Delivery Office; British American Tobacco; BSI Consumer & Public Interest Network; Co-opted members; Digital Policy Alliance; ICM Registry; Nicoventures, BAT Group; Portland Broadcasting Ltd; Trust Elevate; Verime (Telecom2 Ltd); Yoti.
Additional support for the development of this PAS was also provided by: Brickchain Limited; GBG PLC; LexisNexis Solutions.