Websites found inadequate in age verification during facial estimation or credit card checks face hefty penalties in the UK
Under the UK's Online Safety Act (OSA), Ofcom, the country's communications regulator, has issued new guidelines for robust age verification on websites hosting pornographic content. These requirements apply not only to dedicated adult content sites but also to social media, gaming, and other online services that host pornographic material.
**Key Requirements and Methods**
By July 2025, all such websites must implement "highly effective" or "robust" age verification measures. Self-declaration of age is not acceptable, and non-compliance may result in substantial fines or court orders making the site unavailable in the UK. Ofcom has the power to block access to non-compliant websites.
Ofcom's chief executive, Melanie Dawes, stated that for too long, online services allowing porn and harmful material have ignored the fact that children are accessing their services. The measures are intended to address the risks of harm identified for children, with the aim being to protect them from encountering online pornography and other harmful content.
Ofcom has provided a non-exhaustive list of methods for highly effective age verification, including open banking, photo ID matching, facial age estimation, mobile network operator age checks, credit card checks, digital identity services, and email-based age estimation.
**Protecting Children and Privacy**
The new measures proposed by Ofcom will help shield children from accessing explicit content and avoid penalties for companies. Ofcom's approach ensures that privacy rights are protected and that adults can still access legal pornography. Pornographic content must not be visible to users before or during the process of completing an age check.
**Background and Debate**
The announcement of this Industry Guidance follows years of debate, with religious groups campaigning for stricter controls on online pornography access. The average age at which young people first see explicit material online is 13, according to recent statistics. The Christian charity CARE has stated that age checks on porn sites should have been in place years ago.
By these measures, the UK aims to significantly increase protection for children online, ensuring a safer environment for young internet users. Companies that fail to meet these new requirements can expect enforcement action from Ofcom, including fines of up to £18 million or 10% of annual global revenues.
[1] https://www.ofcom.org.uk/about-ofcom/latest/media/2023/age-verification-guidance [2] https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/online-safety-bill-code-of-practice-for-user-to-user-services/code-of-practice-for-user-to-user-services [4] https://www.parliament.uk/business/committees/committees-a-z/lords-select/online-safety-committee/news-parliament-2019/online-safety-bill-published-17-11-20/
- The new guidelines by Ofcom aim to extend the age verification measures beyond dedicated adult content sites, covering lifestyle, sports, technology, and general-news websites that host pornographic material.
- Ofcom's non-exhaustive list of methods for effective age verification includes various technologies such as open banking, photo ID matching, facial age estimation, and digital identity services, thereby incorporating innovation in technology to ensure a safer online experience for all users, including children.
