The forum site Reddit has announced that it will now verify the age of British users before allowing them to view “mature content.” This is in response to the country’s laws.
The United Kingdom already passed the Online Safety Act in 2023, which aims to ensure, among other things, that children don’t see inappropriate content online. However, the law is being rolled out in phases, and at the end of July, a phase will begin requiring websites and apps to take measures to protect young people. It’s this phase that Reddit is now preparing for.
According to the site, “users shouldn’t have to share personal information to participate in discussions,” but the company must comply with the law. To verify users’ age while minimising the transfer of sensitive information, Reddit has employed Persona, which verifies users based on a selfie or a photo of a British passport.
Reddit itself doesn’t have access to the uploaded image and only stores the verification status. Persona is responsible for privacy in this regard and, according to Reddit, has provided the necessary safeguards.
Reddit users from the UK who are under 18 will not be able to view sexually explicit posts on the site, nor content promoting suicide, self-harm, or eating disorders. There are also restrictions on posts that spread hate and depict violence. Ofcom, the UK watchdog charged with enforcing the rules, reports that sites and apps have until July 25 to implement adequate age verification.
The watchdog acknowledges that dedicated teenagers will likely find a way around the restrictions, “just as some find a way to get alcohol under 18 in a pub,” but sees the rules primarily as a first step to prevent young people from accidentally seeing inappropriate posts.
