The main problem that age verification is solving is that we want children to be using child-locked devices, and those devices need to identify themselves. In theory this could be solved simply by locked devices sending an HTTP header. Then it's up to parents (and the stores that sell devices) to make sure that children are using devices with a child lock turned on.
This technique allows the opposite: the id is used to validate a device as not child-locked. It's a whitelist instead of a blacklist. But maybe that's more practical in the short run?
Preventing unlocked devices from being used by children isn't a software issue. Someone could just give them the device. It's up to society to not do that. Determined teens will certainly circumvent it, but it doesn't have to work perfectly to change the culture.
This technique allows the opposite: the id is used to validate a device as not child-locked. It's a whitelist instead of a blacklist. But maybe that's more practical in the short run?
Preventing unlocked devices from being used by children isn't a software issue. Someone could just give them the device. It's up to society to not do that. Determined teens will certainly circumvent it, but it doesn't have to work perfectly to change the culture.