Carded by the Internet: Measuring User Responses to Online Age Assurance Mechanisms

Governments have enacted age assurance regulations to prevent minors from accessing age-restricted content online, potentially creating barriers for adult users. This preliminary study empirically examines how different age assurance methods and accompanying data handling disclosures influence user behavior. We conducted a deceptive online experiment, framed as a usability test for a simulated gambling website, followed by a survey. Participants (n=99) were randomly assigned to one of six verification conditions, ranging from simple checkbox self-declaration to more complex methods involving government-issued IDs and AI-based facial analysis. The Checkbox method had the highest completion rate and user-reported comfort, while methods involving government-issued ID verification resulted in lower completion rates and comfort. Data handling disclosures produced mixed effects on verification decisions, but this should be explored further with a larger sample. Privacy concerns were particularly pronounced for methods requiring personal identification documents, with many participants expressing reluctance to share sensitive information with unfamiliar entities.