k-ID helps game developers comply with age regulations

Video game companies can avoid fines using proprietary tech.

Singapore-based startup k-ID is helping protect kids and teens by working with video game developers and online platforms to create age-appropriate experiences for kids and ensure that the experience complies with local laws worldwide.

The company’s proprietary, privacy-preserving technology helps companies understand the ages of their users and the applicable laws based on their location. It then automatically configures the online experience to make it age-appropriate and compliant.

“We are building technology that allows kids to access online experiences in a safer manner with parental involvement, while also helping platforms or publishers comply with complex global privacy and safety regulations,” Jeff Wu, co-founder and chief people officer at k-ID, told Singapore Business Review in a Zoom interview.

k-ID’s global team of experts in law, privacy, trust, and online safety creates innovative technology that puts kids and teens first, whilst offering seamless compliance solutions for developers and publishers.

The startup’s full suite of application programming interfaces is offered to developers through a subscription model.

“Our business model [helps developers] avoid the large fines that some of these companies are being exposed to, and help them comply with local restrictions and regulations,” Wu said.

“So if a kid comes in and says they’re actually 12 in Singapore, our system is smart enough to recognize the rules that apply to a 12-year-old in Singapore regarding different features in a game or an online experience,” he added.

The system then turns off certain features of private chat, artificial intelligence (AI) tools, or targeted advertising, whilst allowing contextual advertising. These permissions are adjusted as the child ages.

“This way, kids can access games without having to lie about their age,” Wu said. “They still get the core gaming experience but won’t have access to riskier features until they obtain what we call VPC — verifiable parental consent,” he said. “This means involving their parents and getting explicit permission for access to the most sensitive features.”

Wu noted that when kids go online, one of the first things they learn to do is lie. “This often comes up with age gates that ask ‘How old are you?’ Kids all over the world, not just in Singapore, have figured out that if they say they’re under 13 or 18, they’ll be blocked from experiences that are fun or interesting,” Wu said.

“This creates significant issues for kids globally, contributing to many of the online risks we see today, including sextortion, cyberbullying, and mental health challenges,” he added.

A survey by the Ministry of Communications and Information published in February 2024 showed that 17% of young people aged 13 to 18 who play online video games have experienced in-game bullying.

The startup’s technology is available in more than 200 markets globally.

“We've essentially mapped out all the relevant laws that apply to kids online by jurisdiction and age, whether related to online safety or privacy,” Wu said. “This forms our global compliance database, and on top of that sits our global compliance engine, which operationalizes it for our clients.”

k-ID has worked with some of the biggest names in the gaming industry, including Roblox, Capcom, Windup Minds, Another Axiom, and Tatsumaki Games. They have also partnered with Google.

The startup’s solution is not limited to major players. Independent game companies or startups that launch a game with few or no users pay less, while larger clients like Roblox or Google pay more.

“Keeping kids safe should be accessible to all companies,” Wu said. “It shouldn’t be reserved for only the largest companies or social media platforms with the resources to invest in this. We want to democratize access for as many companies as possible.”