With each release, Google is deploying a privacy-centric upgrade to wallet services that use Zero-Knowledge Proof (ZKP) technology for age verification.
The company said, among other things, the dating app will be one of the first partners to use the system. Bumble uses a digital ID issued via Google Wallet for user verification, while ZKP handles age verification.
This move allows users to prove that they are old enough to access certain apps and websites without revealing their date of birth or personal identification data. ZKP is one of the biggest use cases of blockchain apart from actual assets and payments, but it is still not popular outside of niche circles.
Google said the system was developed in response to an increase in services requiring age checks, from dating platforms to e-commerce and social media. “We wanted to develop a system that does that in a way that not only validates your age, but also protects your privacy,” it said.
ZKP encryption method allows someone to prove the facts without revealing how someone knows it or how they know more (like over 18).
In contrast, traditional ID-based age verification methods often require government-issued documents or dates of birth to privacy and data security risks.
This is done using complex blockchain-based systems that perform conditions (such as age) in encrypted form, generate proofs, have the external system validate using public keys, and ensure privacy without revealing the underlying information.
The implementation is currently published in Google Wallet and works on mobile devices and apps using Google’s digital credentials API. This means that it can be incorporated into third-party sites and platforms.
According to data from the Coingecko sector, ZK-based tokens have increased on average by 1.7% over the past 24 hours. The sector can turn its attention to the sector as it brings demand to the privacy-first sector, which has generally dropped out of investor interest over the past few years, due to giants like Google using ZKP technology.