The Age-Gated Internet Is Here
Beginning last week, the United Kingdom has started requiring purveyors of online porn to check IDs—and it’s already reverberating beyond adult websites. For example, Bluesky—a general-interest social media platform and not what most people would call an “adult website” by any means—will begin requiring U.K. users to prove they’re adults or otherwise find direct messaging and certain content inaccessible.
Platforms with U.K. users are now required to block minors from being able to see not just porn but “self-harm, suicide and eating disorder content,” according to Ofcom, the U.K.’s communication regulatory agency. The requirement is part of the U.K.’s Online Safety Act of 2023. This far-reaching law imposes rules on an array of digital services, including social media platforms, search engines, video-sharing platforms, direct messaging tools, dating apps, message boards, and more. As a part of this bill, online platforms publishing content that authorities deem “harmful to children” must “introduce robust age checks.”
X, Reddit, Discord To Start Age Checks
The age-verification rule isn’t aimed solely at sex sites, but at any digital entity where racy content or other “harmful” speech could be found.
In addition to Bluesky, Reddit, X, Discord, and Grinder “have now announced they will deploy age assurance” schemes, Ofcom says.
Services had until last week to start complying or face serious financial consequences.
On Bluesky, this means submitting credit card information or submitting to a facial scan.
Per Ofcom’s rules, there are various ways that age checks can be done, including checking users’ government issued IDs, employing some sort of online ID verification service, or utilizing bank, credit card, or phone information.
But letting users self-report that they are above age will no longer suffice.
It Will Happen Here
If you’re in the U.S. and thinking, “What does this have to do with me?” Well, consider the U.K. a glimpse into our inevitable surveillance-mad future.
At least 20 states have already passed rules requiring age verification for adult content. And I think we can expect most, if not all, states to follow suit now that the Supreme Court has given it the OK.
A lot of these state laws regarding age checks and online porn have been written in ways to exclude platforms like X and Bluesky (for instance, by only applying to platforms where more than one-third of the content is adult-oriented).
But sex work is always the canary in the coal mine for free speech and privacy, and age-check requirements aren’t stopping with online porn.
Already, some states are passing laws that necessitate social media platforms checking IDs or otherwise verifying user ages.
A federal appeals court recently gave the green light to Mississippi to start enforcing a social media age verification law.
A Global Attack on Anonymity and Privacy
“Around the world, a new wave of child protection laws are forcing a profound shift that could normalize rigorous age checks broadly across the web,” note Matt Burgess and Lily Hay Newman at Wired. They point out that “Meanwhile, courts in France ruled last week that porn sites can check users’ ages. Ireland implemented age checking laws for video websites this week. The European Commission is testing an age-verification app. And in December, Australia’s strict social media ban for children under 16 will take effect, introducing checks for
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