k-ID unveils global gaming safety platform for age-appropriate app dev

New technology company k-ID has launched an innovative platform that addresses the challenge of privacy and safety compliance within the gaming industry. With inconsistencies in legal requirements across geographies making the gaming experience complicated, the current process for providing kids and teenagers safe access to games is often complex. This solution, however, promises to deliver age-appropriate game configurations across all platforms globally.

Recognising the urgent need for industry-wide safety compliance in online gaming, k-ID's initiative has turned into reality the once-improbable notion of a comprehensive and universally applicable solution. This all-new suite of tools assists developers in not only providing safer experiences to young game users but also in adhering to complex regulatory requirements.

"There is a unanimous demand to take responsibility for making the online experience for kids and teens safer," said Kieran Donovan, co-founder and CEO of k-ID. Adding that, despite former concerns, "k-ID has solved that by building a game-changing, comprehensive global compliance engine and platform that simplifies the process for players and developers."

The comprehensive platform acts as a robust tool for realising age-dependent safe gaming experiences. It guarantees ease of compliance with evolving regulations through its automatic updates, thus safeguarding developers and publishers from potential sanctions, reputational damage or other serious business implications. The platform also promotes safe encounters for players which evolve as they mature and presents a single sign-on for parents, thereby making the verification process easier for everyone.

k-ID consists of three technologies which collectively ease compliance for developers and enhance the gaming journey for young players. The Global Compliance Engine is a powerful universal API that configures age-appropriate game experiences based on location, age, and digital maturity. The Global Compliance Database gathers gaming industry regulations and is updated daily by industry experts experienced in managing global game compliance. Lastly, the Family Platform provides a single sign-on family portal for managing online game experiences.

Donovan further added that the ultimate mission is "to democratise access to safe, age-appropriate experiences online by providing an industry-wide, cross-platform solution that is cost-effective for developers and simple for players." Echoing the collective desire to phase out the dated 'I am over 13' pop-up and tedious parent onboarding process, he confidently said, "We want it consigned to the pages of history."

k-ID, which collected a total of $5.4 million across pre-seed and seed financing rounds last year, is now actively working with leading publishers across various continents, including the US, Europe, Japan, Korea, and China.

The creators of k-ID hail from the experiences of leading technology companies, eminent video game publishers, and prime law firms. The team includes Kieran Donovan, CEO, former technology and data protection lawyer; Jeff Wu, Chief Safety Officer, previously at Google and Meta; Julian Corbett, k-ID's Chief Growth Officer, an industry veteran who held executive positions at In-Fusio, Take-Two Interactive, Voodoo and Tencent; and Timothy Ma, previously head of international privacy and Data Protection Officer at Tencent, set to join as the Chief Legal Officer.

k-ID, having operated in stealth mode for a year while liaising with regulatory bodies and experts around the globe, is ready to debut this pioneering technology at the annual Game Developers Conference (GDC) in San Francisco from March 18-22.