The Online Safety Act in the UK: Protection or Privacy Regression?

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Challenges and Issues of Age Verification Implementation

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Key parts of the Online Safety Act in the UK have begun to be implemented, a comprehensive legislation aiming to enhance the protection of children and adults on the Internet by imposing new obligations on social media companies and search engines. "Age Assurance" is one of the most prominent of these obligations, requiring platforms to verify users' ages to prevent them from accessing harmful content, such as pornography, content promoting self-harm, eating disorders, suicide, or that which depicts extreme violence.

Although the core principle — protecting children from inappropriate content on the Internet — seems logical, the UK's attempt to legislatively implement it has faced widespread criticism. Companies find it difficult to comply, users are dissatisfied with the implementation mechanisms, and current age verification systems have proven ineffective. Ofcom, the UK's communications regulator, has identified a set of approved age verification options, including "facial age estimation," verification through credit card providers, banks, or mobile phone companies, matching official identity documents, or using "digital identity wallets."

But in reality, implementation suffers from widespread chaos. Systems used by platforms like "Reddit" and "Discord" can be easily fooled. The use of VPNs to bypass geographical restrictions has also increased. "Reddit" requires users to verify their identities to access forums discussing current events in Gaza and Ukraine, while other less sensitive forums are also blocked. According to journalist Taylor Lorenz, British users are asked to verify their ages to access community forums that provide vital support, including for minors, such as "r/periods," "r/stopsmoking," and "r/sexualassault." Meanwhile, companies are racing to develop age verification tools; Spotify is testing facial scanning technology, while YouTube uses Artificial Intelligence to analyze multiple signals to determine a user's age, systems that can be bypassed. As for the X platform (formerly Twitter), which contains adult content, it uses age estimation that appears "inaccurate" with no clear appeal mechanism.

Implications and Negative Effects of the Act

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It is too early to judge the final outcomes of the Act, but its initial implications are clear: children determined to circumvent it can easily do so, while everyone faces a serious regression in privacy. As the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) stated, "the UK's desperate attempt to find an effective age verification method shows that there is no perfect solution, and it is time for politicians to admit that." The Online Safety Act poses a threat to user privacy, restricts freedom of expression, exposes users to the risk of algorithmic discrimination, and excludes millions who do not own modern devices or identity documents from accessing parts of the Internet.

A Global Trend Towards Mandatory Online Identity Verification

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The British Act, which falls within the country's history of prioritizing surveillance over civil liberties, may not seem like a global problem in itself. However, it reflects a broader trend; throughout the world, including the United States, age and identity verification laws are proliferating. The Supreme Court recently upheld an age verification law in Texas, while nearly half of US states have passed similar laws, often under the guise of protecting children from pornography. While many commercial services already require identity verification (such as any transaction requiring a credit card), these new laws herald the emergence of a different Internet, where disclosing your identity becomes a prerequisite for accessing most services and content.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the Online Safety Act in the UK represents an ambitious attempt to protect users, especially children, but it reveals deep challenges related to privacy, freedom of expression, and technical effectiveness. With the global spread of age and identity verification laws, it appears we are heading towards a new era of the Internet that requires identity disclosure, raising serious questions about the future of open and anonymous digital spaces.