The UK is introducing afor porn sites to implement age verification technology this year.
Age-checking measures on porn sites must be in effect “by July 2025 at the latest”. This is according to the UK media regulator, Ofcom.
The measures also apply to websites that allow pornographic content to be posted. This includesplatforms and subscription sites like OnlyFans.
Age verification for porn sites
The UK communications regulator Ofcom published industry guidance on “effective age checks” on Thursday.
It comes after the UK Parliament passed the Online Safety Act in 2023. It enforced a duty of care for online platforms.
Further, its new guidelines require porn sites to implement “age assurance” technology to protect children online.
This could include photo ID matching, facial age estimation, credit card checks, or digital ID services.
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Ofcom Chief Executive Melanie Dawes said: “For too long, many [sites] have ignored the fact that children are accessing their services.”
Pornhub’s parent company Aylo said the UK’s implementation of age verification for porn sites is “ineffective, haphazard, and dangerous.”
In a statement, Aylo said: “Any regulations that require hundreds of thousands of adult sites to collect significant amounts of highly sensitive personal information is putting user safety in jeopardy.”
Australia
has also recently moved to restrict internet access by age.
In November, the Federal Government passed a law to make it illegal for under 16-year-olds to have a social media account in Australia. It’s expected to come into effect by the end of this year.
Penalties for breaches will apply to social media companies, not users.
The Prime Minister has said there will be “privacy protections for information collected for age assurance purposes.”
