Kids can bypass some age checks with a drawn-on mustache

A UK survey of over 1,000 children and parents reveals that age verification measures introduced under the Online Safety Act are largely ineffective. Some 46% of children say age checks are easy to bypass, using methods ranging from entering fake birthdays and using others' ID cards to using video game characters to fool selfie systems — and in some cases, simply drawing a mustache on their face. About 32% admit to actually bypassing checks. Compounding the problem, 17% of parents actively help their children evade age gates, while 9% turn a blind eye. Nearly half of surveyed children (49%) report encountering harmful content online recently, suggesting age gates are failing even those who don't actively circumvent them. Internet Matters CEO Rachel Huggins called for stronger action from both government and industry to build safety into online services from the outset.