Apple Rolls Out User Age Verification in the UK

Apple started age verification rules across its services in the UK. The company has started age verification in response to pressure from the government around ensuring safety on the internet for younger users.

The latest software update is already available and means that adults must confirm they are aged 18 years or older to use certain services or features. Age can be confirmed with a credit card or by scanning an ID. If a payment method is already on file, Apple will check to confirm if the user is of age. For those underage or adults who have not confirmed their age, web content filters and Apple’s Communication Safety features are automatically turned on.

The safety checks are tailored to Messages and FaceTime video calls, designed to detect explicit photos and videos. Apple added that a child under 13 years old cannot create an account in the UK without consent from a parent or guardian, and they must be part of a Family Shared group.

In a statement, communications regulator Ofcom asserted that Apple’s decision makes it one of the first countries in the world to receive new child safety protection on devices, in a real win for children and families. The UK government stepped up a campaign to hold technology companies accountable for content shared on their platforms after rolling out the Online Safety Act. Ofcom added that it worked with Apple on the age verification process.