UK Mandates Robust Age Verification for Porn and Dating Apps by July
New regulations under the Online Safety Act aim to protect children from harmful content while balancing privacy concerns for adults.
- Ofcom, the UK’s communications regulator, has published guidance requiring services with pornographic or adult content to implement strict age verification by July 2025.
- Dating apps like Grindr and Tinder must also adopt effective age assurance measures to prevent children under 18 from accessing their platforms.
- Approved verification methods include photo ID matching, facial age estimation, open banking, mobile network operator checks, and digital ID wallets.
- The regulations stem from the Online Safety Act of 2023, which aims to shield children from harmful online content and hold platforms accountable for compliance.
- Critics have raised concerns about privacy risks, data security, and potential digital exclusion associated with some verification methods.
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