Remember when you were young enough to have your ID checked at the door? Well, that bouncer has taken his ID’ing talents online, and we’re not just talking about gambling sites, alcohol sales, or tobacco retailers. Countries around the globe are creating new, or doubling down on existing, online age-verification for internet users across multiple industries, including social and streaming giants like Reddit and Spotify, and this change will very likely affect your business.
With our suite of age verification software and solutions, EVS is perfectly positioned to meet new legal demands. But many brands are not. The question is, how quickly will brands need to get on board, and what is the cost if they don’t.
A Recap of Recent Online Age-Verification Updates
The United Kingdom’s recent enforcement of their Online Safety Act has sparked immediate debates, but they are not the first to enact such strict measures. Australia, Ireland, Canada, and the EU have already adopted online age verification laws, and as of September 15, 2025, half of the United States is following suit.
Both camps have valid arguments: Age-verification laws of any kind have the potential to restrict users’ freedom, but they’re also extremely necessary to keep large groups of people protected.
Which Industries Are Affected?
Similar to the UK, in the US has already passed or have proposed laws where U.S. social media companies and search services to websites are subject to age-assurance investigations if they discuss or even provide support for sufferers of self-harm, eating disorders, suicidal ideations, violence, and injury. In short, just about every digital tech, online content, and ecommerce industry needs to be aware of these legal changes and take steps to comply.
Non-Compliance Penalties in the U.S.
Perhaps the most important element of these changes, at least for brands, is that failure to comply will unleash hefty penalties — a fact that has many U.S. companies scrambling.
Risky Alternatives to Compliance
EVS is a solutions-based, compliance-driven verification provider, which means we’ll never advocate for a business to tap dance around laws or play it fast and loose with violations and fines. That said, some have chosen to cope with age-check requirements not by implementing age verification software, but in creative yet ineffective ways.
On paper, these may seem like worthwhile strategies; after all, they’re attempts to do the right thing, aren’t they? But be forewarned that refusing to employ robust age-verification security carries significant legal, financial, and reputational risks that could plague your brand for years.
Legal & Affordable Age Verification for Businesses
The far better, and thankfully more popular, choice among U.S. companies is to join forces with a professional age-verification service that offers a seamless path forward via compliant age verification software. This may seem like an obvious recommendation from EVS, a leading verification partner, but it’s also the truth.
EVS is uniquely able to lead the charge with our security-first, privacy-respecting solutions, and these offerings aren’t stagnant resources. We are constantly expanding our information sources and updating our protocols to keep pace with changing laws and protect our clients.
Through our cloud-based BlueAssure platform, your company can access an entire suite of KYC age verification products that are intentionally designed to ensure the protection and security of consumer data while meeting online age verification standards.
AssureAge is one of our most popular identity verification tools for businesses who need a quick but extremely reliable method of confirming a user’s age. This EVS solution not only cross-references multiple data sources for the most accurate results, but it also comes with seamless API integration, frictionless onboarding, and meets all current KYC and COPPA compliance requirements.
AssureID is similar to AssureAge in that it’s also elegantly accessible within our BlueAssure platform, but it takes a more comprehensive approach to identity verification. AssureID can provide a host of user identity insights, including confirmation of social security numbers, addresses, and phone numbers. This solution also offers consumer data-match profiling and Watch List screening.
Get the real-time document scanning and ID verification you need to stay ahead of changing age-assurance regulations with these signature BlueAssure tools. Contact us for other customizable compliance solutions and digital ID verification options.