> We note that, by 4 August 2025, AVS Group had implemented what is described on its sites as an ‘age verification’ check ... This check requests that the users upload a photo. However, the process does not include ‘liveness detection’ to verify a live image of the user or any mechanism to ensure that the person submitting the image, or the person in the image, is the actual user attempting to access the service. As such, the method can be straightforwardly circumvented by children – for example, by submitting a photo of an adult to bypass the check. As a result, the ‘age verification’ check implemented by AVS Group does not meet
the criteria set out Section 4 of our Guidance"
This is in the context of Ofcom issuing a £1,000,000 fine against a provider in *checks notes* Belize, which
> has not responded to any of our correspondence in relation to the investigation and has not co-perated with Ofcom throughout the investigation process
I'm sure that they'll be transferring the £1m asap.
