What in the World - ID please! Why the UK is checking your age online

Download ID please! Why the UK is checking your age online

In the UK, if you want to watch pornography or see content on sites like X, Reddit and Discord that is deemed only suitable for people over 18 years old, you now need to provide your identification to prove you are old enough to access this material. The UK government says its Online Safety Act aims to make the internet safer, especially for children. However, some are concerned about their online privacy.

BBC technology reporter Liv McMahon explains the new law and how the age verification works plus what the rules are in some other countries. We also hear from people in Egypt and Switzerland and how they feel about online age checks.

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Presenter: Hannah Gelbart
Producers: Benita Barden and Adam Chowdhury
Editor: Julia Ross-Roy

Published on Friday, 22nd August 2025.

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