Security Operations , Privacy , Identity Children easily bypass online age verification systems, report finds May 8, 2026 Share By SC Staff Children are finding simple and creative ways to bypass online age verification systems, with many reporting that drawing a fake mustache is enough to gain access to adult websites. A survey by U.K.-based nonprofit Internet Matters found that about half of 1,000 children surveyed found age checks easy to circumvent, as reported by TechCrunch. The report highlights that children are aware of multiple methods to bypass these checks, either through personal experience or peer knowledge. One notable technique involves children drawing facial hair on themselves to trick age verification tools. This comes as age verification laws are increasingly implemented globally, often under the banner of child safety, requiring adults to upload identification documents. Critics argue these measures create vulnerable databases and threaten internet privacy. Companies like Apple, Reddit, and Meta are implementing various age verification methods, including document uploads and AI-driven age estimation. However, some platforms, like Discord, have delayed rollouts due to user backlash and security concerns. This follows previous instances where children have bypassed checks by using video game characters or making unusual facial expressions. Source: TechCrunch SC Staff Related Security Operations UIDAI and NFSU forge 5-year cybersecurity and digital forensics partnership SC Staff May 8, 2026 This strategic alliance, formalized on May 5 in Ahmedabad, establishes a framework to enhance cyber resilience within UIDAI's digital identity ecosystem. Security Operations Tanium and ServiceNow partner for autonomous IT operations SC Staff May 8, 2026 The collaboration merges Tanium's real-time endpoint intelligence with ServiceNow's workflow orchestration to address the gap between IT visibility and action. Security Operations Fragmented DDoS campaign bypasses defenses with novel ‘low and slow’ approach SC Staff May 8, 2026 The attack, identified by DataDome's Galileo threat research team, utilized a vast infrastructure, distributing traffic across over 1.2 million unique IP addresses and 16,402 distinct Autonomous Systems (ASNs). Related Events Cybercast AI for better SecOps: A Black Hat preview Tue Jul 7 Get daily email updates SC Media's daily must-read of the most current and pressing daily news Business Email By clicking the Subscribe button below, you agree to SC Media Terms of Use and Privacy Policy . Subscribe Related Terms Anonymization Basic Authentication Challenge-Handshake Authentication Protocol (CHAP) Cold Warm Hot Disaster Recovery Site Cron Daemon Digest Authentication Disaster Recovery Plan (DRP) Discretionary Access Control (DAC) Geolocation You can skip this ad in 5 seconds