Reddit users in the United Kingdom are now required to verify their age as part of efforts to protect children from harmful content. This new measure aligns with the U.K.’s Online Safety Act (OSA), which mandates platforms to block minors from encountering inappropriate materials such as pornography and content promoting self-harm.
To confirm age, Reddit will use a third-party service called Persona. Users need to submit a government-issued ID photo or a selfie for verification. Reddit will not access or store these images but will retain only the user’s verification status and date of birth.
Content Restrictions for Under-18 Users
Users under 18 will be blocked from viewing sexually explicit content and posts encouraging self-harm or hate speech targeting protected groups such as race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, disability, and gender.
Privacy advocates have raised concerns about the risks of private companies collecting and storing large amounts of identity documents. The move has sparked debate about balancing safety with user privacy. Similarly, Bluesky recently announced age verification requirements for UK users in line with the OSA.
Author’s Opinion
Protecting minors online is crucial, but forcing users to submit sensitive ID documents to private firms can compromise privacy. Platforms must implement transparent safeguards and give users clear control over their data to maintain trust.
Featured image credit: Ars Technica
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