AGE ASSURANCE METHODS
In its report, IMDA also assessed age assurance methods for children, using information from the app stores’ annual online safety reports to the regulator and its own testing and data. The reporting period for app stores was between April and December 2025.
Age assurance methods include age inference, which uses credit card verification and behavioural signals such as search and watch history; age estimation through facial scans; and age verification through official documents such as Singpass. These measures must be implemented in accordance with the Personal Data Protection Act.
The regulator used test accounts to simulate and document the user journey at stages where age assurance may be triggered, testing the robustness of checks and ease of circumvention across device types.
It found that the age assurance methods deployed by app stores were present, and measures generally could not be easily circumvented
However, IMDA noted that no age assurance method is “completely foolproof”. A child can still circumvent these measures, such as by using their parent’s account to access age-inappropriate content.
Ensuring online safety, especially for young users, must be accompanied by measures such as public education and parental supervision, it added.
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