United Kingdom: Online Safety Bill including age verification requirement was adopted

On 19 September 2023, the Online Safety Bill was adopted by the UK Parliament. The Bill requires internet services that publish or display pornographic content to prevent children from accessing it, unless the service is exempt or outside UK jurisdiction. A service is covered if it has UK users or targets the UK market, with exemptions for user-to-user and search services listed in Schedule 1, services specified in Schedule 9, and certain on-demand programme services. Where a provider operates multiple services, the duties apply separately to each one in respect of their design, operation, and use in the UK. Providers must implement highly reliable age verification or estimation measures that protect privacy and comply with data protection rules. They must keep written records explaining their systems and how privacy was addressed and publish a summary outlining the methods in use. Ofcom is responsible for issuing and maintaining guidance to support compliance. This guidance must give examples of effective and ineffective checks, address how to balance safety with privacy, and set out the principles Ofcom will use to assess providers, including ease of use, effectiveness across user groups, and interoperability. Ofcom may also refer to relevant technical standards. Before publishing or revising guidance, Ofcom must consult the Secretary of State, industry, child protection organisations, the Information Commissioner, and technical experts, except where only minor changes are made. The guidance must be kept under review and made publicly available.