Ofcom, the UK’s digital regulator, has revealed that providers of online pornography are meeting their obligations by implementing highly effective age-checking systems. For anyone concerned about children’s access to this content, it looks like the measures being implemented will be quite effective.
For a bit of background, these measures are being taken thanks to a groundbreaking piece of legislation passed by the UK government called the Online Safety Act, which aims to reduce online harms. The law makes Ofcom its enforcer, and violations result in significant fines and even criminal liability for senior members of the company.
Ofcom said that it contacted hundreds of providers earlier this year to inform them of their responsibilities to implement highly effective age-assurance measures. It is currently reviewing the compliance plans of those who have responded. It has also started assessing the measures in place by those who haven’t responded and has even passed some cases to the compliance team, who could take formal action.
For those wondering how Ofcom will tell the public about alleged violators of this law, the regulator says it will publish all new investigations on its website. This will allow platform operators to see that Ofcom is actively taking action against offenders, potentially encouraging them to ensure their own compliance.
All providers who provide online pornography will have to comply with the measures by July 2025. This includes websites that allow for user-generated pornography. These websites will need to have highly effective age checks in place by this date. This will likely involve taking a selfie and then providing an ID if the age estimation check fails.
While the Online Safety Act is well-meaning, the law has been criticized by Human Rights Watch, which stated to the UN Human Rights Committee Review of the United Kingdom that the law is a sprawling piece of legislation that potentially undermines freedom of expression rights.
Source: Ofcom
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