In most age verification systems, users are forced to give up far more than their date of birth.
They’re asked to hand over their full name, address, ID number, sometimes even scan access to their entire document. For platforms that operate in regulated or controversial spaces, this can seem like the only option — collect everything and hope it’s compliant.
At Age Layer, we disagree.
We believe KYC should mean verifying what matters — and nothing more. That’s why we support ID redaction as part of our verification flow. It’s not a workaround. It’s the most privacy-respecting way to comply.
Put simply: it’s age verification that lets users black out or obscure non-essential personal data from their government-issued ID — while still confirming they meet your age requirements.
Here’s what we actually need to see:
That’s it.
We don’t need their name. We don’t need their address. And we definitely don’t need to store any of it.
In an era where user privacy is under constant threat, every piece of personal data collected becomes a liability — for the user and for your platform.
Redaction:
By focusing on what’s necessary — not what’s convenient for software — you give users control and create a more ethical product.
Only if you trust automation alone.
At Age Layer, every redacted document is manually reviewed by trained human agents. We’re not just looking for machine-readable fields — we assess:
This is the nuance that AI-only systems miss — and it’s why Age Layer is trusted by platforms operating in high-risk sectors.
Yes — in fact, it can be more compliant, depending on your region and risk appetite.
Most global age verification standards (including EU, UK, and US guidance) don’t require identity disclosure — only a credible method to confirm age.
Redacted ID checks, backed by human review, meet this bar without collecting excessive data. This aligns with:
Of course, your legal team should always validate final flows — but our approach is built with compliance in mind.
It turns out, when people know they can block out their name, address, or ID number — they’re far more willing to verify.
Platforms using Age Layer see:
And regulators? They’re starting to recognise that privacy-first doesn’t mean compliance-last.
We built Age Layer for platforms that can’t afford to lose users over trust. For communities that need compliance and discretion. And for businesses that understand that respect leads to retention.
If you want to verify age without violating privacy, we’re ready.
