Captured source text (L5)
Additional principles for providers to consider Interoperability
What is interoperability?
4.68The Act sets out that in recommending the use of age assurance, or which kinds of age
assurance to recommend, Ofcom must have regard to the principle of interoperability
between different kinds of age assurance.37
4.69Interoperability describes the ability for technological systems to communicate with each
other using common and standardised formats. It relies on consistent technological
approaches being adopted across different methods.
4.70In the context of age assurance, interoperability may involve re-using the result of an age
check across multiple services allowing different providers of age assurance methods to
share the information, provided this is done in line with data protection laws.
Why is interoperability important?
4.71Interoperability offers a potential benefit to the user experience, as it limits the amount of
information that users need to provide when accessing a new service if they have already
proved their age elsewhere. This could reduce the time and effort required by users to
understand, and input into, different age assurance processes.
How can regulated services have regard to interoperability?
Stay up to date with developments in interoperability
4.72We recognise that the development of interoperable solutions is still at an early stage.
Service providers can have regard to interoperability by staying up to date with
developments in this area, and considering whether to implement interoperable solutions
to age assurance where they exist and are appropriate for the service.
4.73Current efforts at enabling interoperable age assurance include the euCONSENT project, a
non-profit non-governmental organisation that has been established with the intention of
designing, testing, and implementing extensions to the eIDAS infrastructure to enable
open-system, secure and certified interoperable age assurance.
35 This could be part of a service provider’s publicly available statement, which we provide more guidance on in
Section 6 (5.28-5.5.30).
36 Further guidance on businesses’ legal obligations in this area can be found at Equality and Human Rights
Commission Guidance.
37 The Act, Schedule 4, paragraph 12(2)(g).
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Full captured verbatim text
What is interoperability? 4.68 The Act sets out that in recommending the use of age assurance, or which kinds of age assurance to recommend, Ofcom must have regard to the principle of interoperability between different kinds of age assurance.37 4.69 Interoperability describes the ability for technological systems to communicate with each other using common and standardised formats. It relies on consistent technological approaches being adopted across different methods. 4.70 In the context of age assurance, interoperability may involve re-using the result of an age check across multiple services allowing different providers of age assurance methods to share the information, provided this is done in line with data protection laws. Why is interoperability important? 4.71 Interoperability offers a potential benefit to the user experience, as it limits the amount of information that users need to provide when accessing a new service if they have already proved their age elsewhere. This could reduce the time and effort required by users to understand, and input into, different age assurance processes. How can regulated services have regard to interoperability? Stay up to date with developments in interoperability 4.72 We recognise that the development of interoperable solutions is still at an early stage. Service providers can have regard to interoperability by staying up to date with developments in this area, and considering whether to implement interoperable solutions to age assurance where they exist and are appropriate for the service. 4.73 Current efforts at enabling interoperable age assurance include the euCONSENT project, a non-profit non-governmental organisation that has been established with the intention of designing, testing, and implementing extensions to the eIDAS infrastructure to enable open-system, secure and certified interoperable age assurance. 35 This could be part of a service provider’s publicly available statement, which we provide more guidance on in Section 6 (5.28-5.5.30). 36 Further guidance on businesses’ legal obligations in this area can be found at Equality and Human Rights Commission Guidance. 37 The Act, Schedule 4, paragraph 12(2)(g). 21