The text below is an open letter on the position of security and privacy scientists and researchers on Age assurance.

We are writing in response to the worldwide initiatives to introduce age assurance technologies to implement access control to internet services. We share the concerns about the negative effects that exposure to harmful content online has on children, and we applaud that regulators dedicate time and effort to protect them. However, we fear that, if implemented without careful consideration of the technological hazards and societal impact, the new regulation might cause more harm than good.