Four out of five global consumers consider unrestricted online access to age-gated content harmful to minors, yet digital platforms face a major hurdle in getting users to complete necessary identity checks, according to new findings from Jumio’s 2026 Online Identity Study.
The research indicates that 81% of global consumers and 84% of respondents in Singapore view access to age-restricted online materials as a threat to minors. In response, 75% globally and 81% in Singapore expressed a willingness to verify their age online to prevent underage access to adult products and platforms.
Furthermore, 83% of Singapore consumers identify age verification as an important tool for blocking harmful or restricted content, with 84% supporting government regulation in the country to manage access.
Despite broad support for protecting minors, a significant friction point remains regarding data collection and privacy:
- Platform Avoidance: 36% of respondents in Singapore stated they would avoid a platform entirely if required to submit personal data for age verification.
- Preference for Lower Security: 46% said they would opt for a less secure or less convenient platform to avoid identity checks altogether.
- Minimal Data Sharing: 78% reported feeling more comfortable if required only to share proof of eligibility rather than complete personal details.
When asked where the ultimate responsibility lies for protecting minors online, 68% of respondents pointed to parents, followed by government agencies (36%), individuals themselves (29%), and tech marketplaces (18%).
Digital platforms must manage a delicate balance: delivering sufficient assurance to protect younger users while limiting friction and data exposure for legitimate users. Privacy experts emphasize that building consumer confidence requires clear communication regarding data usage.
“There’s still a major trust gap around what happens to personal data during age verification. Stronger age assurance doesn’t necessarily mean collecting and permanently storing large amounts of sensitive data, but consumers need to understand what information is required and why,” said Joe Kaufmann, global head of privacy at Jumio. “Transparency and responsible data handling are critical to building trust and encouraging consumers to participate in the verification process.”
To streamline the experience, consumers favor unified verification mechanisms. A majority of respondents — 65% globally and 70% in Singapore — indicated they would prefer using a reusable identity solution to verify their age once across multiple platforms rather than repeating the process on individual sites.
The study also outlines key operational differences between technical approaches to age control:
- Age Estimation: Uses a selfie and AI algorithms to predict an individual’s age, producing a probabilistic signal suitable primarily for lower-risk environments.
- Age Verification: Confirms whether an individual meets a specific legal age threshold using government-issued identification combined with identity and liveness checks.
Identity specialists caution that estimation alone may fail to meet regulatory standards or protect high-risk digital environments.
“There’s an important distinction between estimating someone’s age and truly verifying it,” said Jumio CEO Mark Lorion. “Age estimation may reduce friction in lower-risk situations, but when platforms require high assurance, especially where minors are involved, the strongest age assurance is a multi-layered approach using a government-issued ID and a selfie check to confirm the real person behind the credential. The focus now must be on delivering that assurance while minimizing the amount of data collected and stored.”
As global regulatory frameworks for online age assurance expand, consumer adoption will increasingly depend on platform transparency, data minimization, and robust privacy protections.
To learn more about Jumio and its award-winning, AI-powered identity intelligence solutions, visit jumio.com.
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