ESRB Seeks to Simplify Collection of Children's Personal Data

The Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) has submitted an application to the US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to approve the use of facial age estimation as a method of verifiable parental consent under the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA). This technology, developed by Yoti, aims to estimate a person's age based on their appearance. The ESRB, along with SuperAwesome, a subsidiary of Epic Games, and Yoti, hopes to make it easier for parents to give consent for the collection of their children's personal information. However, concerns have been raised about the potential risks and biases associated with this technology, including its potential to disproportionately affect certain groups, such as dark-skinned women. The ESRB has assured that the technology will not be used to restrict children's access to certain games or content, but rather to provide a more streamlined process for parental consent. Despite the potential benefits, critics argue that this technology could lead to an increase in the collection and disclosure of children's personal information, and that it may not be an effective solution for protecting children's privacy.