K-ID launches OpenAge to streamline global age verification for apps and mobile games

• The system works natively on iOS, Android and all major browsers using passkey technology.
• AgeKey identifies users as child, youth or adult without sharing personal data.
• The initiative targets new youth protection rules emerging in Australia, Brazil and the EU.
• An independent Advisory Board will oversee privacy, safety and interoperability standards.

Compliance company K-ID has launched a new global initiative called OpenAge to simplify and standardise age verification across online platforms and mobile apps.

At the centre of the initiative is AgeKey, a reusable digital age credential that allows users to verify their age once and store that verification directly on their device. 

AgeKey is built using passkeys under the WebAuthn and FIDO2 specifications, meaning it is natively supported across iOS, Android and major browsers. 

When used in an app or game, AgeKey signals whether the player is a child, youth or adult, adapted to the regulatory requirements of each region, without revealing identity or sharing personal data.

The system is aimed at helping mobile developers meet increasing compliance demands in markets introducing stricter youth protection rules, including Australia, Brazil and the European Union. 

Independent oversight 

K-ID said it has already deployed AgeKey across multiple platforms, with more than five million uses recorded during testing. The company says these trials reduced verification time by around 95% compared to traditional checks. 

Furthermore, OpenAge will be guided by an independent advisory board made up of senior figures in online safety and data governance. Their role is to ensure the initiative follows strong standards for privacy, child protection and interoperability.

The board is chaired by WeProtect Global Alliance founder Baroness Joanna Shields and includes Family Online Safety Institute CEO Stephan Balkam, Centre for Information Policy Leadership president Bojana Bellamy, alongside South West Grid for Learning CEO David Wright CBE. 

“There is an urgent need for a solution that works at the scale of the internet where there is no compromise required between safety and privacy," said K-ID head of OpenAge Julian Corbett. 

“With AgeKey and OpenAge, we’ve put together an approach for effortless and reliable age assurance."