Industry reports or surveys conducted by Ofcom or independent research bodies

UK to Enforce Age Verification on Porn Sites, Generative AI Tools by July 2025

Jan 16, 2025, 12:04 PM

The UK media regulator, Ofcom, has announced new guidelines requiring websites hosting pornography to implement robust age verification measures by July 2025. These measures, introduced under the Online Safety Act, aim to prevent children from accessing explicit material online. Acceptable verification methods include photo ID matching, facial age estimation, credit card checks, open banking details, and other technologies. Self-declaration of age will no longer be considered sufficient. Websites failing to comply risk enforcement actions, including being blocked in the UK. Ofcom's Chief Executive, Dame Melanie Dawes, stated, 'Today, this starts to change,' marking a pivotal step in protecting children from harmful content. The rules also apply to social media platforms and other user-to-user services that allow adult content, including those using generative AI tools. The regulator emphasized the importance of privacy protections for adults while ensuring children are safeguarded. Approximately 14 million people in the UK access online pornography, and research indicates that children are being exposed to explicit material as early as age nine. Surveys show that 80% of adults support age assurance measures.