The U.K. has implemented a law requiring age verification for pornography websites and other online platforms to protect children from harmful content.
Approximately 6,000 porn sites are complying with the Online Safety Act by verifying users' ages. Platforms like Reddit, Bluesky, X, and Grindr are also implementing age verification through selfies or government-issued IDs.
Critics like the Electronic Frontier Foundation express concerns about online privacy and anonymity due to these age checks. There are also concerns that users may attempt to bypass these checks using fake IDs, game character selfies, or VPNs.