Online I.D. Company Offers Wineries Free Internet Age Verification
Company Demonstrates Protections of Children and Data Security are Both Possible in Response to U.S. Supreme Court
TALLAHASSEE, Fla., May 16 /PRNewswire/ -- In the wake of Monday's U.S. Supreme Court decision to permit Internet wine sales nationwide, an upstart company that is pioneering secure online age and identity verification is offering to work with any winery free of charge to verify the ages of online customers.
IDology Group LLC's principals said that the gesture stems from their belief that their product, IDlive, provides unique solutions to several problems that have hampered online commerce and stirred fears that minors will use the Internet to gain access to alcohol.
"Online commerce will not reach its full potential until consumers, government officials and industry leaders have complete confidence in two things, the protection of minors from inappropriate purchases and the protection of personal customer data," said Magnus Stjernstrom, IDology's chief information and technology officer. "The opening of the U.S. market is a great opportunity to demonstrate on a large stage that IDlive does both."
The U.S. Supreme Court ruling on Monday struck down laws in New York and Michigan, and called into question the laws in 22 other states, where Internet sales of wine presently are prohibited.
While their Internet identity verification applications are used by an array of industries, IDology Group LLC's founders have taken a leadership role in developing solutions to the vexing problem of limiting sales of age- restricted merchandise to the intended adult customers.
Based in Tallahassee, Florida, the company already has some powerhouse clients, including large wineries and Wine.com Inc., and is leading the charge for recreating online what has been a long recognized practice in the day-to- day offline world of wine sales.
The IDlive approach to age and identity verification without unnecessary exposure of customers' personal information is of critical importance as the world of e-commerce continues to expand, according to Tim Moore, the former head of the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE).
Under Moore's watch, the state of Florida established the Florida Computer Crime Center, and increased its criminal investigations of cyber crimes. He is a long-time supporter of improving Internet safeguards to protect children.
"With the explosion of electronic commerce, through which people anywhere may purchase nearly anything, there are real and legitimate concerns about how best to prevent children from being exposed to inappropriate products and how to protect vital personal identification and financial information," Moore said. "Just as technology has made it possible for businesses to expand their markets, it must be a paramount priority to build in protections that address those two overriding concerns."
Moore said companies wishing to sell product online would do well to use a service such as IDlive to self-police, if they wish to avoid additional governmental regulation.
Jack Levine, one of America's most prominent and credible child advocates for the past 30 years, said, "We live in an era in which children face everyday threats from strangers around the corner or around the world on the Internet."
"Protecting them from some of those threats requires vigilance by their parents and from the business community to ensure that products and services meant for adults are well outside the reach of children," Levine said.
Levine commended IDology for "trailblazing the best and highest use of technology to protect both children and consumer privacy."
IDlive allows wineries and other businesses to create a customized Internet consumer verification system tapping into the vast universe of available public information, sifting through and sorting the data using sophisticated algorithms to verify age and identity, and then providing only a confirmation of customer information to the business taking the order.
Because the consumer's detailed personal information is not divulged in this process, the consumer's data is insulated against identity theft. Specific questions with answers known only to the authentic customer may also be added as an additional safeguard.
IDology is making IDlive age and identity verification available to qualified US wineries to demonstrate their commitment to secure e-commerce and the safety of children across the nation.
IDology's offer to perform 500 free age verification checks as well as free enrollment extends to wineries that register with the company by May 31.
To register call, 866-520-1234, ext. 4 or visit http://www.idology.com/ .
Source: IDology Group LLC
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