Ofcom Mandates Robust Age Verification for UK Porn Sites by July 2025 Under Online Safety Act

Jan 16, 2025, 01:07 PM

The UK's media regulator, Ofcom, has mandated that all websites hosting pornography must implement robust age verification systems by July 2025, as part of the enforcement of the Online Safety Act. These measures aim to prevent children from accessing adult content. The required age assurance methods include photo ID matching, facial age estimation, and credit card checks, among others. Ofcom's Chief Executive, Melanie Dawes, emphasized the need for change, stating that for too long, online services have ignored the issue of children accessing harmful material. The new rules will also apply to social media platforms, user-to-user services, and generative AI platforms, which must assess the need for age checks by mid-April. Non-compliance could lead to enforcement actions, including fines and potential website blocking.