6 Online Businesses That Would Benefit From Age Verification Technology

For some businesses, age verification is a necessity. Whether your company involves gambling, the sale of alcohol, or dangerous goods, failing to ensure that your customers and clients are a certain age can mean bad things for you and your business. With regulation quite rightly increasing, the subject of age verification is hotter than ever. However, now with over 80% of businesses having a website, many online traders are struggling to keep up with age verification in a progressive form. That is where age verification technology comes in.

Verification technology works by using artificial intelligence. The customer usually has to take a short selfie video or photo and upload that to the system and also scan a copy of their ID. This is a short and easy process that comes at little trouble to the customer and will keep you and your company from any underage patrons. We put together a list of businesses that would benefit from age verification technology to ensure they are being legally compliant. Check out the list below to see if yours is on there.

1. Finance

Banks and online banking tools should be implementing verification software regardless, but using it to verify age is also a priority. Pay later services usually demand that a customer be 18, so ensuring that the age limit is adhered to is vital. If a younger customer is using financial services, it may be that the money they’re using does not belong to them, particularly if they’re using lines of credit rather than existing cash. By putting in age verification software as a security measure you’ll be able to prevent minors from committing fraudulent activity and keep your company covered legally.

2. Online Gambling

With gambling being one of the oldest traditions in the world there is no surprise it is popular online. The issue is, the world and his wife can get their hands on internet access these days so preventing underage kids from gambling is more vital than ever. Kids are naturally drawn to gaming, with flashing lights and loud noises your games no doubt use, it’s easy for them to become addicted. By using online identification technology, you’ll be protecting younger people who want to play and also be helping their parents, especially if they’re using their dad’s credit cards!

3. Dating Apps

Another industry that has a duty to keep kids safe, dating apps and sites must ensure that they are adopting age verification systems to keep younger people excluded. While online predators are nothing new, the rise of dating sites has enabled them to have a wider pool to fish from. Any underage people must be eliminated from this industry to keep them safe and protected. It will also improve your business, as your law-abiding clients will want to know that they are speaking with certified adults to keep themselves from accidentally getting into trouble.

4. Pharmaceuticals

Not only is age identification important when selling pharmaceuticals online, but AI technology is also essential to ensure you are dispensing drugs to the correct person. While the pharmacy industry is highly regulated, it’s vital that this precedent is continued even through the growth in popularity of online selling. Keeping children safe is again a number one priority, as you don’t want anyone to be taking medication they do not need and have not been prescribed. Add a real-life layer of authentication to this process by having delivery drivers also ID’ing customers at their door as they made their drop-offs. It’s better to be safe than sorry as you could end up losing your license to practice as a pharmacist.

5. Vape Company

Vaping has been touted as a safer alternative to tobacco smoking so it’s no wonder it’s on the rise. However, as with any trend, young adults and teens are ready to jump on the bandwagon, presenting a problem for online companies who sell vapes. Using software to verify age will allow adult customers to glide through sales, whilst keeping out the younger generations.

6. Cookware

If you own a cookware business that sells knives then it is a good idea to sign up for an age verification system. The sale of knives to minors under 18 is an offense in most states that can land you in trouble if you do not adhere. Since your online business likely ships all across America, using ID technology can save you a huge headache further down the line.

Do you own a business mentioned above? Will you be using age verification software from now on? Share your thoughts in the comments.