Exploring Privacy-Preserving Age Verification: A Close Look at Zero-Knowledge Proofs

Growing societal and parental concerns about the negative impacts of digital spaces are driving a new wave of youth online safety initiatives. Increased screen time has parents, teachers, and public health officials worried about the potential harm to young people’s mental health outcomes, social connections, and development. While it is unclear exactly how and to what extent online spaces lead to negative outcomes, whistleblower reports show some companies knowingly create adverse environments for young users. In response, policymakers are seeking to hold companies accountable, improve youth experiences online, and crack down on age-inappropriate content. Much of this legislation calls for stricter age verification practices that require identification sharing requirements, which can endanger user privacy and security. In response to the challenges raised by age verification mandates and the Supreme Court’s recent decision to allow age verification for online adult content, this brief explores a path toward implementation that protects a person’s privacy and data security through zero-knowledge proofs.