Children are drawing moustaches on their faces to fool online age checks – and it’s working
Children are drawing moustaches on their faces to fool online age checks – and it’s working
A Growing Trend in Bypassing Digital Restrictions
Children are drawing moustaches on their – Recent research reveals that nearly one-third of children have found ways to evade online age verification systems in the past two months. Some have even resorted to adding fake facial features, such as moustaches, to trick automated recognition tools. The Internet Matters report, titled The Online Safety Act: Are Children Safer Online?, analyzed responses from 1,270 children aged 9 to 16 and their parents in the United Kingdom. Its goal was to evaluate whether the country’s new online safety legislation is effectively shielding young users from digital risks.
Parents and Children Share the Challenge
One parent recounted how her son used an eyebrow pencil to sketch a moustache on his face, successfully deceiving a platform’s age-checking system. The result? The software confirmed he was 15, despite his actual age being 12. This anecdote highlights a common strategy among children: modifying their appearance to bypass digital filters. The study also found that 46% of children believe these checks are simple to circumvent, while only 17% think they are difficult to beat.
Methods to Circumvent Age Verification
Children have devised a range of tactics to bypass age checks, according to the findings. These include inputting false birthdates, using identification details from older siblings or friends, and submitting videos of other people’s faces. Some even exploit video game characters, mimicking their movements to fool facial recognition algorithms. “I’ve seen clips of people online where they’ll use videos of video game characters, like turning their head, to get past age verification,” shared an 11-year-old participant. This creative approach underscores the adaptability of young users in navigating digital restrictions.
Age and Confidence in Bypassing Checks
The report noted that older children, particularly those aged 13 and above, are more assured in their ability to bypass age checks. A staggering 52% of this group claimed the system could be easily tricked, compared to 41% of children under 12. This age-related confidence gap suggests that younger users may rely more on parental assistance or direct manipulation of data, while older ones take greater risks independently.
Primary Motivations for Bypassing Age Checks
When asked about their reasons for evading age restrictions, children most commonly cited accessing social media platforms they were not permitted to use. This accounted for 34% of cases. Other motivations included joining online gaming communities (30%) and utilizing messaging apps (29%). These reasons reflect the growing demand for digital engagement, even when it involves circumventing protective measures.
Parents’ Role in Facilitating Bypassing
Parents are not always passive observers in this process. Nearly a quarter of them—26%—admitted to allowing their children to bypass age checks, with 17% actively assisting. One mother explained, “I’ve helped my son get around them. It was to play a game, and I knew the game, so I was confident he could handle it.” Such actions often occur when parents perceive the content as safe or age-appropriate for their child.
The Online Safety Act’s Impact So Far
Since July 2025, the UK’s Online Safety Act has mandated that platforms implement age-appropriate safety features. The study indicates some progress, as 68% of parents and children reported noticing new safeguards on the platforms they use. These include enhanced reporting tools, content warnings, and restrictions on features like livestreaming. However, the legislation’s effectiveness remains under scrutiny, as nearly half of children (49%) said they had encountered harmful content online in the past month.
Types of Harm Experienced by Children
The report identified several forms of online harm, with 12% of children citing exposure to violent content, 11% to material promoting unrealistic body images, and 10% to prejudicial content such as racism, homophobia, or sexism. These issues align with the Act’s Children’s Safety Codes, which should prohibit such content. One 14-year-old girl described witnessing the assassination of right-wing political activist Charlie Kirk on her social media feed, stating, “I saw it on Snapchat. I broke down into tears and then told my mum immediately.” Her experience illustrates how harmful content can slip through even with new safety measures in place.
Recommendations for Strengthening Online Safety
Internet Matters emphasizes the need for proactive design in online platforms, advocating that safety features be integrated from the outset rather than added reactively. The report also suggests tailoring access based on the risk level of each platform, ensuring that younger users face stricter controls where necessary. “Access should be tailored to their stage of development, rather than a one-size-fits-all approach,” the study argues. This approach would better align with the varying needs and capabilities of children across different age groups.
The Role of Parental Guidance
Parents are positioned as critical partners in safeguarding children’s online experiences. The report calls for clearer resources to help them manage digital risks, including guidance on setting up parental controls and explaining how algorithms influence content visibility. “They should be provided with accessible explanations of how algorithms work and what they might show children,” one researcher noted. This highlights the importance of empowering parents with the knowledge to make informed decisions about their child’s online activity.
Challenges and the Path Forward
While the Online Safety Act has introduced new layers of protection, its implementation has revealed gaps in enforcement. Children’s ability to trick systems with simple hacks like moustaches suggests that current technology may not be robust enough to prevent underage access. The report urges platforms to refine their verification methods and collaborate with parents to create a more secure digital environment. As children continue to test the boundaries of these systems, the focus must shift toward combining technological advancements with ongoing parental education to mitigate risks effectively.
The findings of the study paint a complex picture of online safety. While legislative efforts have made strides in protecting children, the adaptability of young users and the ease with which they can bypass checks indicate that more work is needed. As digital platforms evolve, so too must the strategies used to keep children safe. The battle between innovation and protection is far from over, but the insights from this report offer a roadmap for improving the system—ensuring that children can explore the digital world without being exposed to harmful content or risks.
