Age verification tools required on porn sites to prevent underage internet users seeing explicit content in the UK will be introduced on July 15.
The measures, the first of their kind anywhere in the world, will require porn sites by law to carry out “robust age-verification checks on users”, the government has said.
Websites that fail to implement the new rules face having payment services withdrawn or being blocked for UK internet users.
The government said users will be able to verify their age in a number of ways, including using traditional forms of ID such as a credit card or passport, or by buying an over-the-counter card from shops where verification would take place face-to-face.
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The British Board of Film Classification (BBFC), which classifies movies in the UK, will be the age verification regulator.
Carolyn Bunting, chief executive of online safety group Internet Matters, welcomed the introduction of the new tools.
“We are delighted to see the government tackling the issue of online pornography – as children seeing content they’re not emotionally ready for can be very damaging, especially if they don’t speak out about it,” she said.
“While our research shows that parents overwhelmingly support age-verification and are confident it will make a difference, we must recognise that digital solutions aren’t the only answer and parents can’t become complacent about their child’s digital world.
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“There is no substitute to having regular and honest conversations with your child about what they’re getting up to online, establishing an open dialogue about their digital life from a young age.”
Campaigners have warned the tools could have consequences for user privacy.
Jim Killock of the Open Rights Group said on Twitter: “#ageverification dangers are obvious, from outing people to ruining careers and even suicides.
“What porn you watch can be very sensitive information. It’s striking that MPs don’t seem concerned, it’s not like public knowledge about watching porn has never impacted an MPs career.”
Alastair Graham, Chairman of the Age Verification Providers Association and CEO of AgeChecked , has drawn up a list of what you need to know about the new rules, as well as busting some common myths.
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He said: "While the Internet undoubtedly offers innumerable benefits to our society, it also has the potential to cause huge issues.
"Key amongst these is the possibility of minors stumbling across material – such as pornography – which studies show can be damaging to young people’s mental health. The NSPCC, for example, recently cited widespread confusion over what constitutes “normal” intimate activity as a cause for increasing peer sexual abuse.
"Safeguarding children online, and helping to prevent them from viewing such material, is therefore of utmost importance.
"New regulation under the Digital Economy aims to address this problem. From July 15, it will mandatory for all adult content websites to implement robust age verification on their digital platforms.
"For many consumers, there is a growing sense of confusion around the law. How will it work in reality? Will it be a widespread “porn ban?” What does it mean for data protection?"
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How will it work?
Whenever a UK IP address attempts to access a website with age-restricted content, the user will have to verify they are over 18. They will not be able to view explicit content until they have proven their age.
The onus of implementing such checks will fall on individual pornographic websites. Given that the government has not created its own verification system for websites to use, website operators will need to choose from a number of different age-checking software services on the market.
There are variations between suppliers with regards to how each company will verify customers. AgeChecked, for example, works by allowing customers to confirm their age securely via an anonymous username and password. In order to get the username and password, users must first age verify themselves. They can choose from a range of methods, utilising a mobile app, credit card or driving licence.
Each time the user logs on to the website in question, they will not have to re-verify themselves in order to access it. Instead, they simply sign in as normal and they will be granted instant access. This way, compliant age checks can be carried out without disrupting the user’s journey.
Three key myths
“My data will be hacked or leaked”
Perhaps unsurprisingly, the incoming legislation has triggered privacy fears. Will porn companies be able to link people’s identities to their porn preferences? This is a very valid concern.
The only way sure-fire way to avoid highly sensitive data leaking is to make sure that such data is not created in the first place. In this respect, it’s vital that all age verification systems are third-party providers (and not in any way affiliated with the porn sites themselves.)
AgeChecked never stores personal information on its users and credentials are completely anonymised. When a user tries to access an age-restricted website or service, the website will only receive a simple ‘pass’ or ‘fail’ alert - nothing more.
“It’s just a censorship tool”
The whole point of the new age verification regulations is simply to prevent children from stumbling across pornographic content; these measures will not have any control over what content adults can and cannot view.
“People can bypass the system”
Online age verification works by implementing barriers that make it as difficult as possible for young children to stumble upon inappropriate or damaging adult content.
Of course, there will always be a minority that tries to undermine these barriers, which is unfortunate but unavoidable. That’s why it’s so important that age-gating software does not work in silo; but rather plays a role in an overall solution. Underage access to adult content is a problem that needs support from both parents and government to be properly tackled going forward.
