[UPDATE: A prior version of this article conflated the use of Facial Age Estimation technology with that of Facial Recognition technology. This has been updated throughout the article.]
The Entertainment Software Ratings Board, orESRB, appears to be looking at ways to leverage Facial Age Estimation technology to allow gamers access to mature-rated video games. The ESRB’s proposition was recently sent to the Federal Trade Commission for green lighting, and the relevant document includes a fairly in-depth overview of how the technology would work in practice.
In short, Facial Age Estimation uses computer vision and machine learning tech to estimate an age based on an analysis of patterns by converting a facial image into numbers and running it against a trained data set. As it stands, it means comparing raw numbers to estimate an age instead of using something like Facial Recognition technology, which seeks to identify a specific person based on a photo and pairs that to a database that has unique, identifying information.
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GamesIndustry.biz spotted that the ESRB submitted a proposal to the FTC in collaboration with SuperAwesome, anEpic Gamessubsidiary, and Yoti, a firm that specializes in digital identity solutions, citing the possibility of using facial age estimation technology to block minors from accessing mature-rated media. According to the proposal, Yoti and SuperAwesome’s Privacy-Protective Facial Age Estimation tech can accurately determine a person’s age up to 99.9%, thus making sure that the ESRB’s ratings could be enforced. Furthermore, this technology would be up to the developers and/or parents in the application and use, meaning it could block content, voice chat, or other elements of a game.
Facial Age Estimation Technology Facts
Additional information made available via theESRB’s op-ed with the IAPP:
What the proposal would mean, in effect, is that underage gamers could no longer play anygames rated Mature by the ESRB, should their parents not allow it, blocking them from certain content.
While ESRB ratings have historically been used as curiosities that reveal certain aspects of games well ahead of their release, as was the case withStarfield’s romantic encounter descriptions, the ratings board seems to have a much more hands-on idea of what its future purpose should be. Whether the FTC accepts the featured proposal remains to be seen, and while this technology is used in some places, it would also ultimately be up to the developer and parents to utilize.
