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As the UK’s new online safety regulations take effect, tech platforms such as Reddit and Discord have implemented mandatory age verification tools to protect young users. However, these digital safeguards, which include advanced facial recognition technologies, are already facing clever workarounds discovered by the global gaming community.
How Death Stranding’s Photo Mode Defeats Age Verification
Recent findings reveal that the photo mode in Kojima Production’s acclaimed game, Death Stranding, can outwit the facial recognition systems used by leading social platforms. The method, spotlighted by tech enthusiast Dany Sterkhov, involves opening Death Stranding on a monitor, activating the in-game photo mode, and positioning protagonist Sam Bridges to face the camera. When users scan this virtual face with their smartphone as prompted by the verification system, the AI often mistakes it for a real adult.
Comparing Age Verification Systems: Persona, k-ID, and Yoti
Discord and Reddit utilize two leading facial recognition systems for age verification: k-ID and Persona, respectively. Both were swiftly bypassed using Sam Bridges’ digital likeness. In particular, Discord’s k-ID asked for mouth movements, which were replicated with in-game facial expressions, while Reddit’s Persona required the user to move the”face”—something easily achieved by panning the camera. Notably, Bluesky’s verification, powered by Yoti, proved more robust as it failed to accept the virtual face, signaling a higher standard in preventing fraudulent verification.
Security, Privacy, and the Future of Online Verification
The discovery has broader implications, as it allows users to circumvent age restrictions without submitting personal biometric data or credit card information, raising concerns about the reliability of current face scanning technologies. Furthermore, this workaround eliminates the need for continual VPN use to bypass geo-locked age checks, making it a popular choice among privacy-conscious individuals.
Market Impact and Industry Response
With Instagram planning to adopt Yoti’s facial age estimation technology, future verifications are expected to become more secure. However, the current loophole highlights the urgency for technology companies to enhance AI recognition capabilities and prevent validation through synthetic or virtual images. As digital safety becomes paramount, platforms will have to innovate rapidly to maintain user trust and regulatory compliance.
Death Stranding’s unexpected role in exposing vulnerabilities in UK age verification systems underscores the dynamic relationship between gaming, cybersecurity, and the evolving digital landscape. As regulations tighten, both platforms and verification providers must stay ahead of creative workarounds while prioritizing user privacy and data integrity.
Source: theverge
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