The Digital Governance Standards Institute (DGSI) announces the commencement of a 60-day public review period for CAN/DGSI 127, Age Assurance Technologies. This standard aims to establish comprehensive guidelines for age assurance technologies and methods to verify a person’s age or estimate their age range.
In an era where digital safety for children and youth is of paramount importance, the CAN/DGSI 127 standard addresses the growing need for reliable age assurance measures. This initiative aligns with a global trend, as various jurisdictions including Australia, the United Kingdom, the European Union, the United States, and Canada implement legislation incorporating provisions for age verification.
Notably, the Australian parliament has just passed a law that will ban social media for users under 16 years old. This legislation, described as the world’s strictest, could see tech companies fined up to A$50 million (approximately $32.5 million USD) for non-compliance. The Australian law sets the highest age limit globally for social media access and does not include exemptions for existing users or those with parental consent.
Key features of the CAN/DGSI 127 standard include:
– Minimum requirements for age assurance technologies and methods
– Guidelines for compliance and risk assessment
– Criteria for selecting appropriate age assurance methods
– Principles for designing age assurance technology
– Protocols for undertaking age assurance processes
The standard emphasizes the importance of privacy, data protection, and children’s rights. It requires organizations to conduct comprehensive privacy impact assessments and Child Rights Impact Assessments (CRIA) before implementing age assurance technologies.
DGSI invites all stakeholders, including technology experts, policymakers, child protection advocates, and members of the public, to participate in the 60-day review process. This period provides an opportunity for diverse perspectives to shape this critical standard and ensure it meets the needs of various sectors while prioritizing the safety and rights of children and youth in digital spaces.
The standard is platform-agnostic and aims to be applicable across various digital services and products. It addresses the challenges of existing age-gating methods and seeks to provide more reliable and privacy-preserving approaches to age assurance.
Stakeholders interested in reviewing the standard and providing feedback can access the document through the DGSI website here. The public review is open until February 21 2025.
As digital technologies continue to evolve, the CAN/DGSI 127 standard represents a significant step towards creating a safer online environment for young users while respecting privacy and promoting responsible data practices.
Get involved
The DGSI’s standards development process is collaborative and open to all, and anyone interested in contributing to the development of digital governance standards is encouraged to get involved. For more information on how to participate, contact:
Darryl Kingston
Executive Director
Digital Governance Standards Institute
darryl.kingston@dgc-cgn.org
For further details or media inquiries, please contact:
Shyra Wells
Communications and Knowledge Mobilization Lead
Digital Governance Council
shyra.craig@dgc-cgn.org
About the Digital Governance Standards Institute
The Digital Governance Standards Institute develops digital technology governance standards fit for global use. The Institute works with experts, as well as national and global partners and the public to develop national standards that reduce risk to Canadians and Canadian organizations adopting and using innovative digital technologies in today’s digital economy. The Institute is an independent division of the Digital Governance Council. To learn more about the organization and its initiatives, visit www.dgc-cgn.org or contact info@dgc-cgn.org.