k-ID Joins TIME’s Best Inventions of 2025, Cementing Its Role in the Future of Online Safety
k-ID is a startup transforming how kids & teens access age-appropriate game experiences by making it easy for developers to comply with global regulations.
k-ID, the age verification and compliance platform built for digital platforms and games, has officially landed a coveted spot on TIME’s list of the 100 Best Inventions of 2025. But unlike many of its peers, k-ID is not just futuristic, it’s urgently relevant.
As Australia gears up to enforce its nationwide social media ban for users under 16 starting this December, regulators approved k-ID in August as a trusted solution for compliance. Major platforms like Discord, Twitch, and Hasbro have already adopted it to ensure that age checks aren’t just boxes to tick—but robust systems that protect users, uphold laws, and preserve trust.
A Global Compliance Engine Behind the Scenes
Founded by Kieran Donovan, what sets k-ID apart isn’t just its user age verification technology, it’s the massive legal and regulatory infrastructure powering it behind the scenes.
According to TIME, k-ID helps companies “understand which product features, in-app advertisements, and data practices are allowed in over 200 jurisdictions,” enabling platforms to customize user experiences across regions. In a world where data privacy laws are multiplying and enforcement is tightening, this kind of precision isn’t just helpful, it’s becoming essential.
As countries like the U.K. and Australia increasingly hold platforms accountable for children’s safety, companies can no longer afford to gamble with vague age gates or inconsistent compliance efforts. Clarity—and the ability to adapt in real time—is the new moat.
Why It Matters Now
Each year, TIME evaluates inventions based on originality, efficacy, ambition, and impact. The 2025 edition (the largest ever) spotlights 300 new ideas, with only 100 receiving special distinction. k-ID’s inclusion is a signal that the privacy and compliance stack is no longer an afterthought—it’s part of the core infrastructure for building safe, scalable digital products.
It’s also a win for a broader shift toward user-centric design in trust and safety. k-ID doesn’t just offer plug-and-play compliance, it empowers platforms to build experiences that are both age-appropriate and law-abiding, no matter where users are logging in from.
📚 Read more on TIME: The 100 Best Inventions of 2025
🔒 Explore the Privacy & Security category, featuring k-ID: TIME’s Full Privacy Picks
Listen to Kieran Donovan with Chris Bergman on the Venture Everywhere podcast: Safe k-IDs, Happy Parents. Now on Apple & Spotify and check out all our past episodes here!
