Summary
New rules in the UK will require pornographic websites to verify users' ages in a more secure way starting Friday. These rules, part of the Online Safety Act, aim to prevent children from accessing harmful content online. Users may need to provide personal ID, but there are concerns about privacy and ways people might bypass these checks using tools like VPNs.
Key Facts
- Websites with adult content in the UK must start checking users' ages more carefully.
- These websites could face huge fines if they don't follow the new rules.
- Ofcom suggests using credit cards, photo ID, or selfies to verify ages.
- VPNs are tools that can help people avoid restrictions based on location, but their use is not encouraged for bypassing age checks.
- Parents are advised to block or control VPN use to ensure children get protected under the Online Safety Act.
- Experts say age verification methods are effective, though there are concerns about privacy and identity safety.
- Some people worry about sharing personal information due to past data breaches.
- There is a risk that an adult could help a child bypass the checks, similar to buying age-restricted items in a store.
