Earlier this year, Yubo set out to have 100% of its users verify their age by the end of 2022 in order to continue making the app as safe a place as possible for its young users. Many social media platforms suffer from potential scammers and ill-intended users who want to take advantage of the platform’s audience. They often create fake profiles that impersonate others in combination with malicious bots to do their dirty work. This is why identity verification tools have become essential tools for social media platforms to use. Yubo recently announced that it has officially age-verified 100% of its user base, and three months ahead of schedule at that.
According to Yubo, safety has always been at the top of the app’s priority list and it is at the core of every decision they make. Yubo’s novel approach to age verification is setting a new precedent in the industry when it comes to protecting online users and communities, as well as fostering an authentic user experience. In fact, it is the first major social media platform to verify all of its users.
How does Yubo’s age verification work?
Yubo partnered with Yoti, a leader in the digital identity field, in order to design a straightforward and highly accurate verification process. While the actual technology behind the verification process is quite complex, the user experience is quick and seamless. All new users have to do is open Yubo, enter their age, and then take a real-time photo within the Yubo app. Yoti’s advanced age-estimation technology then estimates the age of the user based on their real-time photo and compares that to the age the user entered. If it is a match, the user is all set to go and enjoy Yubo. If the estimated age and entered age don’t match, the user will be asked to provide some additional forms of identification in order to verify their account. This system is also privacy friendly as, unless your age does not match, users are not required to share any personal details aside from their name and age. It also has no way of retroactively linking a name or an identity to an image provided. You may be wondering how accurate age estimation technology is. Yoti’s age estimation systems have 98.9% accuracy, and it is only improving due to system learning.
What is a real-time photo?
When a user takes a real-time photo within the Yubo app, this essentially just means a selfie. However, what’s interesting is that the Yoti technology is also simultaneously taking a short video to ensure that the photo is real by detecting minor movements and that users are not uploading a fake images or pulling faces from the internet. Again, even if someone printed out a fake face to use, the short video Yubo takes would debunk it. By taking a short video just a second or so before and after the photo is taken, Yoti’s liveliness algorithm can analyze the subtle movements people make when posing for a photo. It is the small facial gestures and body movements that would give away a false image. Next, Yoti’s age estimation technology analyzes the real-time photo and estimates the user’s age.
Yubo has already launched this new age verification system on 100% of their IOS users and it is currently being rolled out on their Android users, who make up 10% of Yubo’s user base. As Yubo continues to gain favor amongst younger generations it is making the internet a safer place for young minds to connect.
