Campaigners have warned that the Government’s plan to ask internet users for age verification is a ‘privacy minefield’, which could lead to a digital ID scheme to access the web.
In proposed changes to the Online Safety Bill, sites that host pornographic material would have to undergo matching age-verification rules as adult content sites. These sites could include social media giants Reddit and Twitter.
Mark Johnson, legal and policy officer at Big Brother Watch, said the proposed amendment to the legislation could pave the way for a digital ID system for the internet.
He said: “The online safety bill presents a clear attempt to age-gate the internet. This new announcement could lead to a new digital ID system for the internet more widely, even for sites like Twitter. This would be devastating for free expression and privacy and would inevitably result in digital exclusion.”
The Guardian – Plans for age checks on porn sites ‘a privacy minefield’, campaigners warn