UK Implementing Strict Age Verification Rules for Online Platforms: What Users Need to Know

In compliance with the recently enacted Online Safety Act, effective as of Friday, over 6,000 pornographic websites across the United Kingdom have initiated measures to verify the ages of their users. However, at least one significant platform has yet to implement age checks as of this morning.

The legislation extends beyond pornography sites, as platforms such as Reddit, Bluesky, X, and Grindr are also mandated to verify the ages of their UK-based users through various means including selfies, government-issued IDs, or other verifiable methods.

This development marks a significant step in child protection regulations, potentially setting a precedent for global normalization of online age checks. However, this approach has been met with criticism from organizations like the Electronic Frontier Foundation, who view it as a potential threat to online privacy and anonymity. This concern is not unfounded, given recent instances such as the Tea dating safety app breach, in which selfies and digital IDs uploaded for account verification were compromised.

Internet users may seek ways to bypass these age checks through unscrupulous means such as using fake IDs, selfies of video game characters, or virtual private networks (VPNs). It is imperative that users remain vigilant and informed about their digital safety in the face of these evolving regulations.