New requirements for pornographic websites under the Online Safety Act came into effect in the UK on July 25, Engadget reports.
Users will now have to provide proof of age – either by taking a photo ID or uploading an official ID – before entering 18+ websites. This decision was made by the British media regulator Ofcom, which called the age verification requirements “highly effective” and noted the possibility of verification via bank cards or biometric photo assessment.
Several popular porn sites have already supported these demands, including PornHub, the most popular porn resource in the country.
However, some users try to circumvent these restrictions. They use VPNs, AI-generated photo IDs, or high-quality selfies of video game characters. However, the law explicitly prohibits sites from promoting VPN services that allow you to bypass age verification.
In case of violations, the law provides for fines of up to £18 million or 10% of a company's global revenue. Ofcom has the power to monitor compliance with the rules and impose sanctions on resources that ignore them.