Porn sites MUST have photo ID, face age checks or credit card scans under new guidance to crack down on underage viewers

New guidance published by the regulator Ofcom will require porn sites to implement strict age verification measures to ensure that users are over 18 years old. The measures include photo ID matching or facial age estimation technology and will aim to block underage viewers from accessing adult content by early 2025. Self-declaration of age and general disclaimers will no longer be considered sufficient. Sites that fail to comply with the new guidelines may face enforcement action and fines.

Tougher measures to protect children

The introduction of these new guidelines comes after the passing of the Online Safety Bill, which aims to regulate social media and internet video content. Research by the Children's Commissioner for England has shown that the average age at which kids first view porn is 13, with a significant number encountering it as young as 9 or 11. The aim of the new measures is to make pornography less accessible to children and protect them from exposure to harmful content.

Methods for age verification

Under the new guidelines, porn sites will need to implement highly effective age verification methods. Self-declaration of age will no longer be sufficient. Instead, sites may choose to scan credit cards or use mobile operator age checks, which automatically block youngsters from accessing porn on 5G networks. These measures are aimed at ensuring that only adults can access adult content online.

Concerns over privacy and free speech

While the new rules have been welcomed by MPs as a necessary step to protect children, there are concerns from free speech campaigners about the impact on privacy. Critics argue that the new regulations will increase the amount of sensitive data held by third parties and pose a threat to privacy rights. However, Ofcom has assured that it is committed to protecting privacy rights and ensuring adults' access to legal porn. All age assurance methods will be subject to UK privacy laws.

Source: The Guardian