Ofcom Enforces Strict Age Checks for Online Content

The UK's communications regulator, Ofcom, has announced new guidelines requiring websites with pornographic or harmful content to implement 'highly effective' age assurance measures by July 2025. The Online Safety Act mandates that all applicable services must verify users' ages through methods such as photo ID matching, credit card checks, or facial age estimation to prevent children from accessing adult content. Ofcom's guidance affects not only porn sites but also social media and user-to-user platforms, which must conduct children's access assessments by April 16. Failure to comply with these measures could result in hefty fines or criminal penalties for service providers. Melanie Dawes, Ofcom's chief executive, emphasized the importance of these measures, as previous checks have been easy to bypass, exposing children to inappropriate content. The new rules aim to balance effective age verification with privacy considerations, reflecting the UK's historical caution around privacy issues.