New Trend in the UK: Children Pictured En Masse with Moustaches

Jakarta, CNBC Indonesia - The age-verification system implemented to limit children’s access to adult sites apparently still has many loopholes. Children are even able to sidestep the technology simply by drawing fake moustaches using makeup pencils.

The finding was revealed in a survey by the British-based non-profit organisation Internet Matters of 1,000 children regarding online age-check systems. The result showed that around half of the respondents said the age-verification mechanism was easy to bypass.

In its report, Internet Matters said children understand various ways to breach age checks, from personal experience or information circulating in their circles.

“One technique used is drawing facial hair or a moustache so the system thinks they are older. This method is reported to have worked in some cases,” the report said, quoted by TechCrunch, Friday 22 May 2026.

This phenomenon has emerged amid growing numbers of countries implementing age-verification rules for the protection of children online. The rules require users to prove their age before accessing adult sites, typically by uploading identity documents such as a driving licence or passport to a third-party company.

However, the policy has drawn criticism for the risk of creating sensitive databases that are prone to hacking or leakage. In addition, some argue the rules threaten the concept of an open and decentralised internet.

Currently, about half of the US states have similar age-check rules. The UK has also become one of the countries most aggressively pushing for the global implementation of the policy.

This has led several tech companies to adjust their services. For example, Apple has released software updates to comply with the evolving age-verification regulations.

Meanwhile, Reddit and Meta have combined the method of uploading official identity with an algorithmic system estimating users’ ages based on facial appearance.

Unlike other companies, Discord postponed the launch of its age-verification system following user protests concerning safety and data privacy.

Not only moustaches, children have been found to discover other tricks to fool the system. Some involve directing the camera at adult-looking video game characters or simply making odd facial expressions to bypass automated checks.