Starting July 25, the UK's Online Safety Act mandates age verification for adult content sites, aiming to shield children from harmful materials. The act, passed in 2023, empowers Ofcom to enforce verification standards, with penalties for non-compliance. It impacts a wide array of online services, necessitating ID checks like facial recognition or card verification. While major platforms begin implementing these checks, smaller websites face operational challenges. Critics warn of increased censorship, claiming the act undermines users' freedom and presents risks to privacy and free speech online.
The UK’s Online Safety Act, effective from July 25, mandates age verification checks for websites hosting adult content to protect children from harmful materials.
The legislation grants Ofcom the authority to enforce age verification standards, potentially leading to significant fines for non-compliant websites.
Critics argue the bill results in increased censorship, claiming that the measures will infringe on internet users' freedom and alter the internet landscape negatively.
The Electronic Frontier Foundation describes the legislation as a dangerous attempt to reshape the internet, posing threats to privacy, security, and free speech.
Collection
[
|
...
]