A new U.K. law requiring pornography websites to verify users’ ages has taken effect, with around 6,000 sites set to comply with the Online Safety Act by checking users’ ages.
The law aims to prevent children from accessing harmful content online, and its impact is not limited to porn sites, as other platforms like Reddit, Bluesky, X, and Grindr are also requiring U.K. users to verify their age through various methods, including selfies and government-issued IDs.
This legislation is part of a broader effort to protect children online, and it may lead to more widespread age checks on the internet. However, critics, including the Electronic Frontier Foundation, have raised concerns about the potential impact on online privacy and anonymity.
A recent security breach involving the dating app Tea has highlighted the risks associated with uploading personal identification and selfies for verification purposes, further fueling the debate around these new measures.
Some users may attempt to circumvent the age verification process by using fake IDs, images of video game characters, or VPNs, potentially undermining the effectiveness of the law.
