Kids are foiling age-checks online – here’s how we fix it
August 02, 2025
|The Independent
New legislation requires websites to verify the age of anyone accessing adult content, but they’re being outwitted. There may be a better solution at hand
It took until 10am on the day when the UK’s new online age checks came into force for people to figure out an absurd workaround.
The rules brought in by the Online Safety Act meant that websites hosting pornographic or adult content were required to “robustly” age-check users, with one popular method being a facial recognition tool that estimates a person’s age from a picture of their face.
One way to bypass this, it soon transpired, was to fool the software by using an image of a character from a video game. The photo-realistic protagonist of Death Stranding was enough to allow visitors to skirt past the barriers set up by third-party face-scanning systems Persona and k-ID, which were used by Reddit and Discord.
It was not the only way to bypass the newly restricted parts of the internet. There was a sudden surge in demand for virtual private networks (VPNs), as web users sought to spoof their device’s location to countries without the web restrictions.
VPN review site VPNMentor observed a 6,000 per cent increase in demand after the law came into effect on 25 July. The company noted that this trend raises critical questions about the effectiveness of the measures designed to protect children’s online safety, as well as the risks involved in complying with them by submitting photos, ID documents or financial data.
When similar laws came into force across more than a dozen US states, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) warned that online age verification exposed every website visitor to privacy and security dangers.
“Records of our personal information tied to details of the adult content we watch, sexual questions we have, or interests or identities we’re exploring could make millions of people vulnerable to harassment, blackmail and exploitation,” Antonio Serrano, advocacy director at the ACLU, said in January.
هذه القصة من طبعة August 02, 2025 من The Independent.
اشترك في Magzter GOLD للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة، وأكثر من 9000 مجلة وصحيفة.
هل أنت مشترك بالفعل؟ تسجيل الدخول
المزيد من القصص من The Independent
The Independent
Phillips promises to make women and girls safe at last
Labour vows change but campaigners question its strategy
4 mins
December 19, 2025
The Independent
I've had a tough year – but high trees take a lot of wind
Three-time WDC champion Michael van Gerwen explains to Luke Baker he is ready to erase his horrific 2025, on and off the oche, and show Luke Littler who is the true world's best
5 mins
December 18, 2025
The Independent
Snicko chief takes blame for slip that saved Carey's neck
Australia reached 326-8 on day one of third Ashes Test after operator error helped Alex Carey record a crucial century
2 mins
December 18, 2025
The Independent
How a resurgent Isis spread its tentacles far and wide
As its links with the Bondi gunmen are investigated, author Peter Neumann explores how the terror group has evolved, and why we should be worried by its chilling new call to arms
4 mins
December 18, 2025
The Independent
How the pain of addiction stalked the Reiner family
The younger son of the beloved film director Rob Reiner has been charged with murdering his parents. Katie Rosseinsky charts the harrowing buildup to a real-life Hollywood tragedy
7 mins
December 18, 2025
The Independent
Erasmus breakthrough shows the route back from Brexit
One of the hidden costs of Brexit was that Britain put itself at a disadvantage with EU negotiators by starting from a position of: “We don’t like you.”
3 mins
December 18, 2025
The Independent
Cherki rocket proves he's more than just tribute act
Take Erling Haaland out of the team and Manchester City still had two of his trademark celebrations.
3 mins
December 18, 2025
The Independent
Doctors direct chants at Streeting as walkout begins
Resident doctors claimed there is a sense that “the system is breaking” as they started a five-day strike in England due to an ongoing row over jobs and pay.
3 mins
December 18, 2025
The Independent
Public is losing patience with striking doctors
Taken literally, the British Medical Association's demand for resident doctors' pay to be restored to 2008 levels would require an immediate 26 per cent rise, at a cost to the Treasury of some £700m.
3 mins
December 18, 2025
The Independent
It's time to pull the plug on Emily's insipid adventures
Minnie Driver brings a much-needed injection of camp self-awareness to the fifth season of 'Emily in Paris' - but she still can't save this sterile show from itself says Katie Rosseinsky
3 mins
December 18, 2025
Listen
Translate
Change font size

