New legal requirements for age verification before accessing online pornography have raised concerns about privacy and security. A report by the European Policy Information Center and the Institute of Economic Affairs highlights the potential risks associated with mandatory age verification, including the collection [2], sharing [1], or sale of sensitive personal data [1]. It also questions the effectiveness of age verification technologies and suggests that strict rules could drive traffic to less regulated and less secure platforms.
Description
The British Broadcasting and Communications Authority (Ofcom) has proposed new guidelines for age verification methods on pornographic sites to prevent children from accessing them [3]. These methods include open banking [3], photo ID presentation [3], face age estimation [3], mobile phone carrier verification [3], and credit card verification [3]. The UK’s Online Safety Bill will enforce these guidelines by 2025. Some US states have also enacted stricter age verification laws [3]. However, major porn site PornHub faces challenges in balancing strict age verification with privacy protection [3], and access from protected areas is blocked [3].
Conclusion
The report calls for a better balance between tackling illegality and protecting privacy [2], free expression [2], and digital innovation [2]. It emphasizes the need for clearer standards and guidelines to protect user data from the increased risk of fraud and cybercrime associated with invasive age verification technologies [1]. The implementation of age verification methods aims to prevent children from accessing online pornography, but concerns about privacy and security remain [1]. It is crucial to find solutions that effectively address these concerns while still achieving the intended goal of protecting minors.
References
[1] https://www.openrightsgroup.org/press-releases/ofcoms-age-verification-proposals-risk-privacy-and-security/
[2] https://www.infosecurity-magazine.com/news/porn-age-checks-threaten-security/
[3] https://gigazine.net/gsc_news/en/20231205-pornography-age-check
