Help with verifying my age online

Bowdon

HI all,

I'm having problems verifying my age on some websites that insist on using an age estimation selfie.

Because of my condition I'm wearing a cpap style mask that I wear 24/7 with oxygen on constant supply. I can't take my mask off long enough to take a selfie. Some of the sites ask for multiple angled selfies, despite the fact I've usually uploaded other forms of identification before this point.

The main verification site that does this that I've come across is Yoti. They are used by X, and I believe as been chosen by the government for the digital ID.

They also are used for a popular site that adults use. I had contacted them to ask for them to manually look at a photo of me wearing my mask. But they wouldn't do it. They passed the responsibility to the website. But the website wouldn't do anything either.

For context I'm 48 years old and been online since the early 90s. I've never had any issue like this before.

Is there any advice on what I should do? Or does anyone else experience this?

Ross1975

I use a Tor browser so I don't have to bother with all the verification malarkey: Tor Project | Download

There's plenty of guides on Youtube if you're unsure about anything.

SheffieldMan1976

I deleted my X account last year, due to this and also the annoyingly toxic comments, especially around anything Political.

Rachel_Scope

Thanks for sharing this @Bowdon. Sorry, I'm not sure how to help but it's good to raise awareness of things like this.

Stellar

Twitter is a far right hellsite. Stay off there for your own sanity (and to avoid being radicalised into far right politics, like most British politicians are).

As for age verification, get a VPN like NordVPN and set your country to one where these verifications don't exist, like the Republic of Ireland.

Do not give your real face or data to these services, because they will not keep it secure o dispose of it properly, especially outside of Europe. If you need to, use a face of a fictional character liek these people did:

Discord users 'bypassing age-checks with video game characters'

SheffieldMan1976

https://forum.scope.org.uk/discussion/comment/1111747#Comment_1111747

Don't get a VPN, rumour has it the government are in discussions to ban them anyway purely for the very reason you outlined, kids using them to get round age verification on Facebook et al.

Wibbles

https://forum.scope.org.uk/discussion/comment/1111770#Comment_1111770

Nobody can BLOCK VPN's - they can advise residents to stop using them, but if someone has a PC - they can set up a VPN server in five minutes !

Russia has tried for years to ban VPN's - result millions of VPN users.