Summary
Approximately 6,000 websites in the UK, including social media and porn sites, will begin checking if users are over 18 starting Friday, as per the UK's media regulator, Ofcom. This action aims to enhance child safety online, though there are questions about its effectiveness and whether all sites will comply.
Key Facts
- About 6,000 UK websites will start verifying if users are over 18.
- Ofcom, the UK's media regulator, is overseeing this new age verification measure.
- Sites like Pornhub, Reddit, Discord, and Grindr are part of this initiative.
- Some significant porn sites in the UK have not implemented age checks yet.
- The Technology Secretary calls the new rules "common sense" for online safety.
- Critics are concerned about the effectiveness and potential for users to bypass age checks.
- The rules are part of broader efforts to protect children from harmful online content.
- Organizations like the NSPCC support the move, emphasizing tech companies' responsibilities.
