A new phase of the UK’s Online Safety Act came into effect on Friday. Porn sites (but not exclusively) are now required to implement “robust age verification” for users.
Around six thousand porn sites in the United Kingdom have been required to verify users’ age since Friday. The new rule, according to industry watchdog Ofcom, is intended to prevent children from accidentally viewing inappropriate content. Ofcom, which is responsible for enforcing the regulations, estimates that some 14 million people in the UK watch porn, making this more difficult. However, the rules also have implications for privacy and for a range of other sites.
It was previously revealed that Britons must verify their age before viewing specific subreddits on the Reddit forum site. Chat service Discord and social media apps Bluesky and X have also introduced a verification window, as has dating app Grindr.
Ofcom is proud of the response and says the United Kingdom is the first to have implemented such a broad rule. The organisation also places some responsibility on technology companies in this way. “Children and their parents should not be solely responsible for their online safety,” Ofcom stated.
Privacy
The rules require “robust” verification, meaning you can’t simply check a box to indicate you’re 18. Many sites use facial verification (whether functional or not), or require a passport or driver’s license, for example. Sites can also rely on credit card information. This raises a potential privacy issue with the rules.
Not everyone wants to hand over their identification to sites, let alone porn sites or apps aimed at LGBTQ+ people. Especially considering that data leaks are common online. A site like Reddit already uses a third party and states that it doesn’t retain sensitive information after the initial verification test. But we’ve heard that before, usually several months before a significant data breach.
Many users, UK regulators expect, will also try to circumvent the rules. Rather than revealing their identity, they might use a VPN or access unregulated sites. Ofcom itself admits that dedicated teenagers will likely find a way around the restrictions, “just as some find a way to get alcohol in a pub under 18.” Still, it sees the rules as a step in the right direction, and also as a first step toward even stricter policies.
