Tommys-Bookmarks.com Age Verification Policies
Updated: January 21, 2026
This document pertains to users located in the United Kingdom (UK), France, Italy, various states in the United States of America (USA) and other countries and localities that have enacted Age Verification laws.
Introduction
This document will cover a summary of the written compliance record required by the UK Online Safety Act (“OSA”) and detail how the Age Assurance methodologies are used through AgeVerif. This summary will detail the different kinds of age assurance and how they are used for the purpose of ensuring that children are not normally able to encounter pornographic content on Tommys-Bookmarks.com accessed from the UK, and additionally those located in the aforementioned countries and localities.
Types of age verification method, one or more of which may be offered
-
Credit Card with 3D Secure Authentication
Provider: AgeVerif.com
User process:
- User selects “Credit Card” (3DS) as the verification method in the AgeVerif window.
- User enters their Email address and verifies it by a confirmation code sent to their Email address.
- Inputs required:
- Credit card number
- CVV
- Expiry date
- Name and billing address
- User clicks “Verify Now” to trigger a $1 authorization.
- AgeVerif initiates a 3DS challenge with the card issuer.
- If result indicates 18+, AgeVerif flags user as verified.
Reasoning:
- Per Ofcom’s guidance on highly effective age assurance measures, in the UK individuals must be over 18 to obtain a credit card, therefore credit card issuers are obliged to verify the age of applicants before providing them with a credit card.
- 3D Secure (3DS) adds strong customer authentication, adding an extra level of security confirming ownership of the card.
2. Email-Based Digital Footprint Age Estimation
Provider: AgeVerif.com
User process:
- User selects “Email Estimation” in the AgeVerif window.
- User manually enters their email address.
- AgeVerif sends a time-limited OTP link to the email.
- User clicks the link to verify ownership.
- AgeVerif analyzes the email’s digital footprint using:
- Financial institutions
- Utility providers
- Public records
- AgeVerif estimates the user’s age.
- If result indicates 18+, AgeVerif flags user as verified
Reasoning:
- Per Ofcom’s guidance on highly effective age assurance measures, Email-based age estimation is listed as capable of being highly-effective.
- The user must validate ownership of their email address via a link sent to their inbox.
- AgeVerif estimate user age using email-linked data sources (e.g. financial, government, utility provider verification footprints).
3. Facial Age Estimation
Provider: AgeVerif.com
User process:
- User selects “Selfie” in the AgeVerif window.
- User allows access to their webcam or smart phone camera.
- AI software is used to determine the users age with a Challenge 25 policy in force.
- The user is asked to make a random facial expression.
- If AI software determines the user is 25+ and their facial expression matches the requested gesture, AgeVerif flags the user as verified.
- Otherwise the user is asked to verify their age using a different method.
Reasoning:
- Per Ofcom’s guidance on highly effective age assurance measures, while Facial Age Estimation technology has not been tested as being highly effective in adults under the age of 25, by using the Challenge 25 policy the method can be regarded as highly effective age assurance.
4. AgeGO
Provider: AgeVerif.com
User process:
- User selects “AgeGO” in the AgeVerif window.
- User creates an AgeGO account which falls back on the Credit Card With 3D Secure Verification.
Reasoning:
- Per Ofcom’s guidance on highly effective age assurance measures, in the UK individuals must be over 18 to obtain a credit card, therefore credit card issuers are obliged to verify the age of applicants before providing them with a credit card.
- 3D Secure (3DS) adds strong customer authentication, adding an extra level of security confirming ownership of the card.
5. AnonymAGE
Provider: AgeVerif.com
User process:
- User selects “AnonymAGE” in the AgeVerif window.
- User installs and creates an AnonymAGE account which falls back on the Credit Card With 3D Secure Verification.
Reasoning:
- Per Ofcom’s guidance on highly effective age assurance measures, in the UK individuals must be over 18 to obtain a credit card, therefore credit card issuers are obliged to verify the age of applicants before providing them with a credit card.
- 3D Secure (3DS) adds strong customer authentication, adding an extra level of security confirming ownership of the card.
5. PayPal
Provider: AgeVerif.com
User process:
- User selects “PayPal” in the AgeVerif window.
- The user logs into their PayPal account.
Reasoning:
- Per Ofcom’s guidance on highly effective age assurance measures, in the UK individuals must be over 18 to obtain a PayPal account. This mirrors the method known as Open Banking.
Privacy and security
Tommy's Bookmarks does not collect, access, or process any of the personal data submitted during the age verification itself. AgeVerif collects data that is evaluated as strictly necessary to meet regulatory obligations and serve age verification purposes. All verification activities are conducted independently by trusted third-party providers, who return only a binary outcome, pass or fail, to AgeVerif. This ensures that identity or age-related data is never shared with or retained by AgeVerif or Tommy's Bookmarks.
To find out more about our privacy practices, please visit:
Tommys-Bookmarks.com: Privacy Notice
AgeVerif: Privacy Notice
Contesting an incorrect age assurance status
Our data minimal approach to age assurance means that we cannot know why the data checked by our vendors has resulted in an incorrect status. To allow for this outcome, we permit users to try multiple age assurance methods before concluding a result. The breadth of age assurance measures offered ensures that an adult has multiple opportunities to prove their age. If after exhausting all options a user still believes that their age assurance status has been made incorrectly, they may contact our customer care team:
