As states across the U.S. accelerate legislation requiring age verification to access adult content, we face a growing crisis: how do we protect minors without compromising user privacy?
A new report from New America’s Open Technology Institute (OTI) delivers a compelling answer: age verification powered by zero-knowledge proofs (ZKPs).
What the OTI Report Reveals
Following the Supreme Court’s decision affirming Texas’ age-verification law, OTI highlights growing concerns:
- Privacy risks from mandatory ID uploads are real and pervasive.
- Legal mandates create a chilling effect on free expression and online behavior.
- The Court’s narrow constitutional focus didn’t account for the massive security implications of personal data collection.
To strike a balance between safety and privacy, the report suggests adopting ZKPs—which can confirm a user is over 18 without revealing any personal data.
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What Is a Zero-Knowledge Proof?
A Zero-Knowledge Proof (ZKP) allows one party to prove a statement—like being 18 or older—is true without revealing the actual data (like birthdate, ID number, or location).
Imagine a system where your site only needs to know:
“Yes, this user is over 18.”
Absolutely nothing else.
This is the kind of privacy-first architecture that deserves serious attention — especially in light of mounting age-verification mandates.
The OTI Report’s Key Takeaways:
- Current methods, such as ID scans or age-check apps (like Louisiana’s LA Wallet), expose too much sensitive information and create new data risks.
- The French privacy authority concluded no existing system balances accuracy and user privacy effectively.
- ZKPs hold real promise, but need further development, standardization, and pilot testing before they’re primed for broad use.
How Changefly ID Already Embodies This Vision
While ZKPs are emerging standards, Changefly ID already delivers this core promise of anonymous, secure age verification, using a cryptographic technique that accomplishes the same user experience—without requiring any personal data.
Here’s how it aligns with ZKP principles:
- Only confirms age—nothing else.
- No user data is collected or stored.
- Fully compliant with U.S. and global privacy norms.
- Easy to integrate: API-ready in under 5 minutes.
Changefly offers a practical next step while the broader ecosystem matures toward ZKPs.
Want to Learn More?
If you’re a developer or platform operator navigating complex age-verification mandates, let’s talk.
In just 15 minutes, I’ll walk you through how Changefly aligns with “privacy by design” — protecting your users, your platform, and your integrity.
Contact:
Will Walker | +1-212-390-1198 | Will@Changefly.com
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