• UX Design • UI Design • UX Research • Design System
Google Age Assurance and Identity Verification
2019 - 2022
I spearheaded the development of a comprehensive User Verification system, addressing complex age and identity verification challenges while prioritizing user experience. Collaborating closely with cross-functional partners, I ensured transparency, comprehension, and inclusivity throughout the design process. We successfully delivered multiple verification solutions despite fast-evolving legal requirements, parallel dependencies, and a tight timeline.
Age Verification and Correction
I played a leading role in designing and delivering Google's Age Verification and Correction flow, safeguarding a positive and age-appropriate experience for users across Google's vast ecosystem. This project was driven by growing concerns over children's online safety and emerging regulations which emphasize:
Data Protection: Minimizing data collection and prioritizing privacy for children.
Age Estimation: Requiring accurate age verification or child protection measures.
Transparency: Providing clear, age-appropriate information about data practices.
Safety: Protecting children from harmful content and activities online.
The design process presented unique challenges. It required a dual-user focus, considering both children and their parents. For younger users, I designed a flow where parents could use Family Link to manage their child's Google Account until they reached the age of digital independence.
Crafting clear, engaging, and age-appropriate content for children was a top priority. The language needed to be simple, direct, and easy to understand for a young audience. To achieve this, I led multiple user studies and collaborated closely with content designers. We ensured the content effectively communicated the purpose of age verification and the steps involved, while maintaining a friendly and approachable tone.
Additionally, varying age restrictions across regions demanded meticulous attention to detail at every step of the design process.
Today, users confirm their age using a valid government ID or credit card to access age-restricted content or services. This work directly impacts user safety across Google's products, including Kids & Family and YouTube, while ensuring compliance with global regulations.
This project was not a typical customer-facing design challenge. It required navigating complex requirements and nuanced legal considerations. After successfully launching the system in 2021, I conceptualized a broader verification design system whose principles continue to contribute Google's approach to age verification today.
YouTube's commitment to fostering a safe and trustworthy creator ecosystem led to the development of additional verification requirements for certain advanced features. Building upon my experience in age verification, I designed the YouTube Responsible Feature Access Selfie Video verification.
This solution strikes a balance between providing creators with the tools they need to thrive and protecting the platform from bad actors. By requiring only a short selfie video, we ensure a simple yet effective verification process that doesn't hinder legitimate creators from accessing advanced features.
