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Age assurance selfie

Short video selfie used by Meta, Yoti, and similar vendors to confirm a user's age.

Definition​

An age assurance selfie is a short video clip you record inside an app (Facebook, Instagram, Yoti, etc.) so the platform can estimate your age. The vendor captures multiple frames as you turn your head, then compares the biometric template with government IDs you have previously shared or with self-reported birthdays.

Why it matters​

  • Regulatory compliance: Laws such as the UK Online Safety Act and several U.S. state bills require large platforms to prove users meet minimum ages.
  • Privacy trade-off: Unlike uploading a passport, the selfie is processed by partners like Yoti or Incode and converted into an age estimate, so the platform says it never sees your raw video-though you still share sensitive biometrics.
  • Faster reviews: Video selfies are usually approved within minutes, while manual ID reviews can take days.

Tips​

  1. Record in bright, even lighting and follow the on-screen prompts (turn left/right, look up) so the system can build a clean template.
  2. Remove hats, glasses, or face coverings; they slow down the estimate or cause automatic rejection.
  3. Keep a backup plan (passport or driver's license) in case the selfie fails or the platform requires additional proof for commerce or political ads.