UK May Require Photo IDs or Facial Age-Check Scans to View Porn
The UK’s Office of Communications — otherwise known as Ofcom — has published a draft of age-restriction guidelines for websites and online services that offer sexually explicit content. If implemented, it would require such sites to introduce “age assurance” methods, which could involve photo ID matching, facial age estimation, and credit card checks.
As Engadget reports, the new recommendations found in the draft aim to begin enforcement of a recently passed Online Safety Act. The Online Safety Act requires that any platform that displays or publishes pornography in the UK take steps to “ensure that children are not normally able to encounter pornography on their service.”
According to Ofcom, these new restrictions aim to protect children from online pornography. It cites studies that found that the average age at which children first see online pornography is 13, although 10 percent are as young as nine. Additionally, they have found that 79 percent have “encountered violent pornography depicting coercive, degrading or pain-inducing sex acts before turning 18.”
In order to reduce those numbers, Ofcom wants to require sites and apps that host adult content in the UK to utilize “age assurance.” Ofcom offers a list of what they consider highly effective methods of age assurance. These include photo identification matching, which involves scanning a photo ID and comparing it to a live capture of the user’s face, age estimation via facial scans, and even requiring banking information. The office stresses that weaker age checks, such as self-declaration of age or disclaimers, are insufficient.
These proposed age verification recommendations bring up significant privacy concerns. The privacy watchdog Information Commissioner’s Office (IOC) assisted with the draft, which Ofcom says follows privacy safety laws, but many feel that isn’t sufficient to ease worries.
“It is very concerning that Ofcom is solely relying upon data protection laws and the ICO to ensure that privacy will be protected,” Abigail Burke, program manager at UK digital rights organization Open Rights Group, said during an interview with The Verge. “The Data Protection and Digital Information Bill, which is progressing through parliament, will seriously weaken our current data protection laws, which are in any case insufficient for a scheme this intrusive.”
“The potential consequences of data being leaked are catastrophic and could include blackmail, fraud, relationship damage, and the outing of people’s sexual preferences in very vulnerable circumstances,” Burke added in an interview with the BBC.
Ofcom plans to publish its final guidance in early 2025, with enforcement going into effect soon after. It says that it expects online pornography services to work with them through the finalization of the draft guidance and beyond so that they are ready to comply when the time comes. Per Engadget, the proposed punishments for companies that disregard the possible guidelines include fines of up to £18 million or 10 percent of a company’s global revenue, whichever is higher.
Image credits: Header photo licensed via Depositphotos.
