The UK government is set to deploy Artificial Intelligence (AI) to more accurately determine the ages of asylum seekers, aiming to prevent adults from falsely claiming to be children. This move comes amid concerns that current methods are insufficient, leading to instances where adults are placed in child welfare systems and schools.
AI To Combat Age Fraud
The Home Office plans to utilise AI technology, specifically facial recognition, to verify the ages of migrants arriving in the UK. This technology, already employed by online retailers for age-restricted products, is trained on millions of images and can provide age estimates with a degree of accuracy. The government intends to trial this technology before a wider rollout, with a tender for providers expected soon. This initiative aims to address the challenge of accurately assessing age, a process that has been described as difficult by both the Home Office and independent inspectors.
Concerns Over Current Age Assessments
Recent reports have highlighted cases where adult migrants were incorrectly classified as children, and vice versa. An independent inspection found that in a sample of 100 cases, 22 individuals initially assessed as adults were later determined by local authorities to be under 18. Conversely, some children have been wrongly classified as adults. The current system relies on physical appearance, demeanour, and sometimes dental or skeletal X-rays, but these methods are not always definitive and can be influenced by individual growth rates. The principle of 'the benefit of the doubt' has also been criticised for being applied too readily.
High-Profile Cases Fueling Change
Several high-profile incidents have underscored the need for more robust age verification. One case involved an Iranian asylum seeker who posed as a 15-year-old GCSE student but was later confirmed to be an adult, causing distress among pupils and parents at a Suffolk school. Another instance involved the Parson's Green bomber, who had claimed to be 16 upon arrival. These cases have led to calls for mandatory, scientific age checks, with some advocating for X-rays, MRI scans, or bone scans, similar to practices in other European countries.
Proposed Solutions and Criticisms
In response to these concerns, proposals include making scientific age checks mandatory for all asylum seekers claiming to be children, rather than requiring consent. Critics, however, including the Council of Europe and UK-based medical organisations, have raised doubts about the reliability and ethical implications of these scientific methods, particularly concerning informed consent. Despite these criticisms, the government is exploring ways to leverage private sector technology to improve the accuracy and efficiency of age assessments at the border.
Key Takeaways
The UK government plans to use AI and facial recognition technology to verify the ages of asylum seekers.
This initiative aims to prevent adults from falsely claiming to be children.
Current age assessment methods have been criticised for their inaccuracy and potential for misuse.
High-profile cases of adults posing as children in schools have increased pressure for reform.
Critics have raised concerns about the reliability and ethics of scientific age assessment methods.