Porn websites will have to ensure users are over 18 by checking their ID, asking their bank or mobile providers to vouch for them or using technology that can estimate their age from images.
The watchdog Ofcom has today set out guidance on how it expects adult websites to protect young people from sexually explicit content under the Online Safety Act.
On average, children are aged just 13 when they first encounter hardcore porn online. The watchdog said it would not accept ‘weaker’ age checks, such as allowing users to self-declare their age or simply add disclaimers or warnings to sexually explicit material.
A survey found that most Britons support introducing tougher measures – but half said they were worried about handing over their personal and private information.
Ofcom said all age assurance methods were subject to the UK’s privacy laws and were overseen by the Information Commissioner’s Office. Hardcore porn can easily be accessed with just a click of a button, with research finding that violent imagery leads teenagers to believe strangling and slapping is a normal part of sex.
By 2025, adult sites and apps would be required to keep written records explaining how they are protecting children from accessing porn – or face a hefty fine of up to 10 per cent of their global turnover.
The regulator said it expected porn sites to ‘work with us’ and listed potential ‘age-assurance’ measures it believes would be ‘highly effective’.
These include users asking their bank or mobile phone provider to confirm they are an adult, sharing their passport or driving licence with the website, or uploading a picture to a company that uses the latest facial analysis technology to estimate a person’s age without identifying the individual – to confirm they are the age they claim.
