Germany

[DE] KJM approves AI-supported auto-identification age verification system

IRIS 2026-3:1/22

Christina Meese

Institute of European Media Law

In mid-January 2026, the Commission for the Protection of Minors in the Media (Kommission für Jugendmedienschutz - KJM) approved the use of an AI-powered auto-identification procedure as an age verification system and thus recognised it as an appropriate youth protection mechanism within the meaning of the German State Treaty on the Protection of Minors in the Media (Jugendmedienschutz-Staatsvertrag - JMStV). The mechanism, which combines an automated ID document check with a biometric facial scan and a subsequent AI-supported comparison with the extracted features, can therefore be used by online media to fulfil their legal obligations.

According to the JMStV, certain content that is harmful to minors, such as pornography or other content that seriously jeopardises the development of children and young people, may only be distributed in telemedia if the provider ensures that only adults can access it through closed user groups. Technical systems that are intended to ensure that children and young people in a certain age group do not normally access such content can be submitted to the KJM, which analyses whether they fulfil the legal requirements by effectively guaranteeing age verification.

The "cidaas ID validator", developed by Widas ID GmbH, was approved by the KJM as an age verification solution. The tool, which can be integrated into websites or online applications, checks various identity documents such as ID cards in real time. It initially combines an automated ID document check with a biometric facial scan, which users can perform via video. It uses liveness detection to prevent the system being fooled by the presentation of a photo. As the check takes place without any interaction with another person, i.e. purely automatically, it can be carried out by users at any time and, according to the provider, takes no more than two minutes.

According to the criteria used by the KJM to evaluate age verification systems, at least the initial identification of users wishing to join a closed user group must generally take place through personal contact. In this context, "personal contact" is generally understood to mean a face-to-face check with the individuals present, including a comparison of official ID data. In this respect, however, the KJM recognises that a live video comparison can also meet these requirements.