The UK will scan asylum-seekers’ faces for age checks—despite knowing the tech is flawed

As age verification becomes an increasingly common requirement online, the UK is set to bring this technology into the real world. Beginning next year, the British government plans to utilize facial age estimation (FAE) technology at its borders to assess the ages of asylum seekers. This initiative marks a significant shift, as it will be one of the first instances where FAE is employed in such a critical context. The decision stems from the reality that many asylum seekers arrive without documentation proving their age. Misclassifying minors as adults could lead to dire consequences, including the loss of legal protections and placement in adult detention facilities. An investigation conducted by WIRED and Lighthouse Reports, in partnership with The Independent, has revealed serious concerns regarding the reliability of these systems. An internal report from the UK government indicates that FAE technology frequently misidentifies children as adults, raising alarms over its accuracy and potential biases. The data highlights that Sub-Saharan Africans, who represent the largest group of migrants entering the UK via small boats, are particularly vulnerable to these miscalculations. The report noted that when assessing the ages of female Sub-Saharan Africans, the technology was off by an average of 4.6 years, which means a girl aged 13.5 could be misidentified as an 18-year-old. The findings of this investigation come at a time when governments around the world are increasingly adopting stringent anti-migrant policies and investing heavily in surveillance technologies. These developments pose significant ethical questions about the deployment of AI in high-stakes situations, particularly affecting those who may not understand their rights or the implications of such technologies.