Brazil’s Digital ECA is set to reshape how digital services protect minors, with rules that extend far beyond games. The law goes into force in March 2026, establishing one of the most comprehensive child-safety frameworks in the global digital economy. It applies to any online service likely to be accessed by minors, including social platforms, marketplaces, and livestreaming services, even if those services aren’t designed for children. Among Brazilian minors, playing online games is one of the most common daily activities, highlighting why such services fall squarely within the law’s scope
“If your game has features that attract minors, is easy for them to access, or poses potential risks, it falls under the new Brazilian law,” said k-ID CEO Kieran Donovan. “Studios need to audit their actual user base, not just their intended audience.”
k-ID provides age verification and compliance infrastructure for game publishers and digital platforms, enabling age-aware experiences across jurisdictions. The company is recognized for its privacy-preserving approach to age assurance and works with global publishers to operationalize child-safety requirements at scale.
The key distinction in enforcement is between intended and actual users. Platforms aimed at adults may still trigger obligations if minors are present in significant numbers. This aligns with global trends: the UK’s Age Appropriate Design Code and the EU’s proposed Digital Services Act similarly focus on actual usage to determine compliance obligations.
Auditing digital services ahead of Brazil’s Digital ECA
Operational readiness is critical. Companies need to answer three foundational questions: Who is using the service? Which features could expose minors to harm? Can systems enforce age-appropriate experiences?
“Look at demographics, communication features, and high-risk mechanics like loot boxes or targeted advertising,” Donovan said. “Then assess whether your infrastructure can deliver different experiences based on age and location. The audit isn’t just about content; it’s about whether your product architecture can operationalize compliance.”
Differentiating experiences may require restricting monetization, disabling messaging, or adjusting advertising models. Simple updates to terms of service or warnings are insufficient.
According to the Organisation for Economic Co‑operation and Development 2025 report Age Assurance Practices of 50 Online Services Used by Children, which examined services including PlayStation Network and Steam, only two of the services systematically verify age, highlighting widespread gaps in age assurance practices.
Age verification as infrastructure
Reliable age verification is a core requirement. Self-declared birthdates are insufficient where verification is required. Feature-level verification reduces friction while protecting minors. For example, some companies verify users only when accessing higher-risk features like in-game purchases or messaging.
Reusable credential systems, such as AgeKey from the OpenAge initiative, allow users to verify once and reuse credentials across multiple services without repeatedly sharing sensitive data. Research from the OECD suggests that reusable, privacy-preserving verification systems can reduce regulatory risk and improve user adoption while maintaining compliance across multiple jurisdictions.
The broader lesson is that age verification must be configurable across products and markets. Rigid, market-specific solutions will not scale as child-safety regulations expand worldwide.
Monetization and safety
The Digital ECA also reshapes monetization strategies. Targeted advertising and behavioral profiling of minors are banned. For companies relying on ad-supported models, this requires a shift to contextual or demographic targeting for younger users.
Companies must have reliable age signals to apply different monetization and data-processing rules for adults and minors. Without them, organizations risk over-restricting users or facing enforcement. Companies that improperly target minors with behavioral advertising or other prohibited practices risk significant penalties under the Digital ECA, including fines of up to 50 million reais or up to 10 percent of their revenue in Brazil per violation, along with possible suspension or bans on their services.
“With reliable verification, you can maintain personalized experiences for adults while providing a safe environment for minors,” Donovan said. “It’s about infrastructure that supports both safety and revenue.”
From compliance to product strategy
The Digital ECA signals a deeper organizational shift: compliance can no longer sit solely within legal or policy teams. Age verification, parental consent, and safety-by-default settings are now product challenges, embedded into user experience, product design, and monetization strategies.
“Stop building jurisdiction-by-jurisdiction fixes,” Donovan said. “Invest in infrastructure that orchestrates compliance dynamically. Apply different rules based on age and location, support multiple verification methods, manage parental consent centrally, and adapt as regulations evolve without rebuilding your product.”
Brazil’s Digital ECA is an operational deadline, not a regulatory discussion. Companies that treat child safety as core infrastructure may gain a competitive edge, both in Brazil and in the increasingly regulated global digital economy.
“The immediate risk isn’t just compliance,” Donovan said. “It’s being unprepared when regulators act.”
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