As new age verification laws roll out across Australia and the UK, users are responding with a wave of inventive and sometimes bizarre tactics to get around them. Designed to protect minors from harmful content and social media risks, these rules require platforms to confirm a user’s age before granting access. But enforcement is proving to be a challenge.
One of the most common tricks is using a VPN to mask location, making it appear as though the user is browsing from a country without strict checks. Others simply enter a birth year like 1900, which many systems accept without question. These low-tech methods highlight how easily automated systems can be fooled.
@duckymellygaming HOW TO BYPASS ROBLOX AGE CHECK
♬ original sound – Ducky
Then there are the more theatrical approaches. Reports have surfaced of users wearing old man masks or heavy makeup to pass facial recognition checks. Some platforms require liveness tests, such as opening your mouth or turning your head, and users have found ways to stream pre-recorded clips or even use video game character creators to mimic these movements.
Technology adds another layer of complexity. AI-generated IDs and deepfake videos are being used to create convincing verification materials, while browser extensions and scripts auto-fill forms with fake but plausible data. There are even third-party services offering to “verify” accounts for a fee, often using stolen or synthetic identities.
These creative workarounds raise questions about the effectiveness of age verification laws and the unintended consequences of enforcement. Regulators insist they will continue refining compliance measures. For now, the cat-and-mouse game between platforms and users shows no sign of slowing down.
As the debate continues, one thing is clear: the lengths people will go to bypass age gates are becoming stranger and more sophisticated, turning what was meant to be a simple safeguard into a technological arms race.
