Privacy and security experts are urging governments to delay implementing age verification measures on social media platforms until potential risks are fully understood. A letter signed by 371 academics from 29 countries argues that current methods, such as live selfies or government ID uploads, are "dangerous and socially unacceptable" due to privacy and security concerns. These methods could expose users to malware, scams, or excessive data collection by service providers. The academics emphasize that effective age verification requires robust cryptographic protection, which is difficult to implement globally and may be resisted by service providers. They advocate for a pause until a scientific consensus on the benefits and harms of such technologies is established, especially as several European nations, including the UK, France, and Germany, consider restricting children's social media access.