MORE than one in ten people have lied about their identity online, according to a recent study.

A report conducted by verification company Veriff found that 12 per cent of people surveyed in the UK had lied about their identity on the internet, with 15 per cent also admitting to lying about their age.

Brighton had the second-highest figure of those admitting to lying about their identity, with almost one in six (15 per cent) admitting they had done so. 

Some 12 per cent of Brighton residents said they had lied about their age online, while just under five per cent said they have pretended to be someone else on the internet.

The figures come as the government develops legislation to protect children online.

The Online Safety Bill is expected to force tech companies, such as Meta (formerly Facebook) and Google, to abide by a duty of care to users, with companies facing large fines if they fail to comply.

A quarter of people surveyed in the city admitted to never monitoring their children’s activity on the internet, with almost 28 per cent saying they have never spoken to their children about online safety.

Almost over half of people surveyed in Brighton (59 per cent) said they thought tech companies are responsible for protecting children online, with more than two-thirds (68 per cent) believing that online identity verification should be a legal requirement on social media platforms.

Janer Gorohhov, co-founder of Veriff, said: “We believe that online safety for children is essential as technology advances.

“As we transition into the virtual world of the metaverse, the aim is to create a safer environment for everyone, but especially children.

“It’s interesting to see that our data reveals the high level of trust parents place in tech companies and their expectation of these companies doing all they can to keep children safe online.

“We hope to assist companies in implementing age restrictions and online identity verification where children are users - especially as we enter the more immersive future of the metaverse in gaming and social media platforms.

“These additional steps in identity verification will allow parents to feel more comfortable knowing that their children are being protected online.”