The UK's Online Safety Bill: Is Age Verification Blocking Internet Access?

The UK Online Safety Act: Challenges and Implications

The Act's Concept and Objectives

Last July, the United Kingdom began implementing key provisions of the Online Safety Act, legislation designed to enhance the protection of children and adults in the digital space by imposing new duties on social media platforms and search services. One of the most prominent of these obligations is "age verification," which aims to protect users from accessing inappropriate content, such as pornography, content promoting self-harm, eating disorders, and suicide, in addition to content depicting or encouraging egregious violence.


A digital representation of a lock over a glowing world map with network connections, symbolizing global cybersecurity and online protection.
A digital representation of a lock over a glowing world map with network connections, symbolizing global cybersecurity and online protection.
Digital World Lock” — Source: Pixabay. License: CC0.

Implementation Difficulties and Resistance

The underlying idea may seem logical, which is to prevent children from accessing harmful content while browsing the internet. However, the UK's attempt to legislatively enforce this solution has faced difficulties so far. Companies are puzzled about how to comply, and users are dissatisfied with the proposed verification mechanisms, which, despite their intrusive nature, do not seem effective. Ofcom has identified a range of age verification options, including age estimation via facial recognition technology, verification through credit card providers, banks, or telecommunication companies, matching an official ID document with a selfie, or using a "digital ID wallet" containing proof of age.


An image of a tree trunk cross-section showing annual growth rings, nature's way of "recording" age.
An image of a tree trunk cross-section showing annual growth rings, nature's way of "recording" age.
Tree Rings” — Source: Pixabay. License: CC0.

In reality, implementation is not proceeding as planned. Systems used by platforms like Reddit and Discord can be easily circumvented using screenshots from the game "Death Stranding." Downloads of Virtual Private Networks (VPNs), which allow users to conceal their geographical location, are also seeing a significant increase. Reddit is blocking users from accessing subreddits that post news and footage from Gaza and Ukraine unless they provide identity verification, and other less violent forums have begun to follow suit. According to correspondent Taylor Lorenz, British users are being asked to verify their ages to access forums like 'r/periods', 'r/stopsmoking', 'r/stopdrinking', and other forums that offer vital community support to users, including minors, such as 'r/sexualassault'.


Clothes hung on an outdoor clothesline, signaling simple and practical ways in everyday life.
Clothes hung on an outdoor clothesline, signaling simple and practical ways in everyday life.
Outdoor Laundry” — Source: Pixabay. License: CC0.

Company Efforts and Solutions

In response, companies are scrambling to develop or acquire various age-identification tools. Spotify uses facial scanning, while YouTube relies on AI to analyze multiple signals to estimate whether a user is over 18, a measure that can be bypassed using a government ID. As for X (formerly Twitter), which contains a large amount of pornographic and adult content, it relies on estimating user ages, but its system appears to be inefficient and without a clear appeal mechanism.


Privacy and Freedom of Expression: Broader Implications

It's too early to judge the final outcomes of the full implementation of this law, but its initial implications are clear: for children determined to circumvent restrictions, circumvention remains relatively easy; for all other users, who are suddenly required to prove their ages, the law represents a significant setback for privacy. The Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) has pointed out that the UK's desperate search for an effective age verification method proves there is no single ideal solution, and it is time for politicians to recognize this reality. The Online Safety Act poses a direct threat to user privacy, restricts freedom of expression by imposing content censorship, exposes users to the risk of algorithmic discrimination through facial scanning systems, and leads to the exclusion of millions of people who do not possess personal devices or identity documents from accessing the internet.


A black-and-white image of riot police lined up against protesters, conveying the excessive force of authority.
A black-and-white image of riot police lined up against protesters, conveying the excessive force of authority.
Police and Protester Confrontation” — Source: Pixabay. License: CC0.

A Global Trend Towards Identity Verification

The UK's overzealous law, which falls within a long history of disregard for civil liberties and privacy in favor of censorship, may not seem like a major problem in itself. However, it reflects a broader global trend, where age and identity verification laws are spreading worldwide, including in the United States. Recently, the Supreme Court, in a retreat from judicial precedents, upheld an age verification law in Texas. Nearly half of US states, mostly with conservative administrations, have also enacted similar legislation in intent and application, often under the pretext of protecting minors from pornography. While many services already require identity verification (such as any service requiring a credit card or electric scooter rental), these new laws delineate a completely different internet: an internet that requires you to disclose your identity before you can do almost anything.


An arched corridor with successive arches, creating a sense of depth and perspective, signifying a clear and far-reaching direction.
An arched corridor with successive arches, creating a sense of depth and perspective, signifying a clear and far-reaching direction.
Archway Corridor” — Source: Pixabay. License: CC0.

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