UK Age Check Law Backfires: Compliant Sites Lose, Rulebreakers Gain

UK Age Check Law Backfires: Compliant Sites Lose, Rulebreakers Gain

UK Age Check Law Seems to Be Hurting Sites That Comply, Helping Those That Don’t UK regulators hoped the Online Safety Act would protect minors, but early reports suggest the opposite. The UK age check law seems to be hurting sites that comply, helping those that don’t , as traffic shifts toward platforms ignoring the rules. This surprising trend has sparked major debate about online safety, privacy, and the effectiveness of age verification policies. Image Credits:MirageC / Getty Images What the Law Requires Under the new Online Safety Act, adult websites must verify users’ ages with strict checks. This includes face scans, driver’s license uploads, or other forms of government ID. Social platforms like Reddit and Bluesky are also rolling out verification measures to limit underage access to sensitive content. The idea was to create safer online spaces. But instead, early data shows the law may be pushing people toward sites that refuse to comply. The Data Behind the Trend The Washington Pos…