Porn websites must legally verify the age of users as per new internet safety laws.
This legislation is part of the Draft Online Safety Bill and aims to provide children with better protection against explicit material.
To ensure that users are at least 18 years old, they may be asked to show proof of their credit card or verify their age through a third party service.
Sites that fail act could face a fine of up to 10% of their global turnover
The Online Safety Bill will be introduced to Parliament in the coming months. It is intended to protect users against harmful content.
Over fears that it would be too easy for minors online to access porn material, children’s safety groups have been calling for age verification for porn sites.
Research shows that half of all 11- to 13-year olds have seen pornography at one time.
Experts who work with children claim it can lead to unhealthy views of sex, consent, and even stop them reporting abuse.
Chris Philp, Digital Economy Minister, announced the age verification plans. He stated: “Parents should have peace of mind that their kids are safe online from seeing things no children should see.”
Ofcom can also fine websites for not following the rules. They could also block their access to the UK.
If they do not cooperate with Ofcom, the bosses could be criminally charged.
Previously, the Online Safety Bill only covered commercial porn websites that allow user-generated content. However, all commercial porn sites will now fall under its umbrella.
Andy Burrows of the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children, (NSPCC) welcomed the strengthening of the Online Harms Bill, but felt it did not go far enough.
He said, “It’s right that the government has listened and fixed one of the holes in the Online Safety Bill to protect children from pornography wherever they’re hosted.”
“Crucially they have also acted upon our concerns and closed an ‘Only Fans’ loophole that would have allowed some of the most risky sites to get away with it despite children having access to very damaging material.
“But, the legislation still fails to give children comprehensive protection against preventable abuse and harmful contents. It needs significant strengthening in order to match the government’s rhetoric and focus minds on the top tech companies regarding child safety.
The Digital Economy Act introduced proposals to require people to verify their age before they can access explicit content online. However, the government has never implemented them.
They were officially dropped by ministers in 2019, who pledged “other measures” to achieve the same results.
Campaigners were surprised when the first draft of Online Safety Bill was released last year. It did not include the long-promised checks.
Privacy concerns
Companies will decide how to comply with these new rules. However, Ofcom may recommend certain age verification technologies.
The government warns that firms shouldn’t store or process data that isn’t relevant to checking an individual’s age.
Despite widespread adoption of age verification technology in areas such as online gambling there are still privacy concerns.
Campaigners warned that pornography users could be a major hacking target for blackmailers.
Jim Killock, of the Open Rights Group which advocates for digital rights and freedoms, stated that the rules would benefit age verification businesses while offering “little practical advantage for child safety and much harm to individuals’ privacy”.
He stated to the BBC that there is no evidence that the proposal will prevent people from viewing porn and being profiled.
“We must assume that the same fundamental mistakes regarding privacy and security could be repeated.”
Iain Corby is the executive director of Age Verification Providers Association. He said that the firms he represented had created a variety of ways to verify someone’s age online, without disclosing their identity on the websites they visit.
“By using third-party organizations that are independently audited and certified to adhere with the highest standards in data protection and security, adults can feel confident that their privacy will be protected while their children’s privacy is protected.”