Reddit has begun requiring users in the United Kingdom to verify their age, part of a broader effort to comply with new regulations aimed at shielding minors from harmful online content.
This policy change follows the passage of the U.K.’s Online Safety Act (OSA), which imposes stricter obligations on digital platforms to ensure children can’t easily access adult material. Under the new rules, Reddit must take concrete steps to prevent young users from encountering explicit sexual content, posts encouraging self-harm or disordered eating, and any material that incites hatred against individuals based on race, religion, gender, sexuality, or disability.
To carry out the age verification process, Reddit has partnered with the identity verification provider Persona. Users will be prompted to either upload a photograph of a government-issued ID or submit a selfie for comparison. According to Reddit, the platform itself won’t keep copies of these images. Instead, it will store only the verification result and the user’s date of birth.
Any accounts that cannot verify age will be barred from viewing restricted material. Content deemed inappropriate for those under 18 will be automatically hidden, covering not only explicit pornography but also a wide range of violent or abusive posts.
While Reddit emphasizes that the verification system is designed with privacy in mind, the approach has sparked concern among digital rights advocates. Critics point out that entrusting private companies with sensitive identity records can introduce security risks if data is mishandled or breached. Even though Reddit won’t directly retain the images, the involvement of third-party vendors raises questions about how securely this information will be managed.
Reddit isn’t the only platform tightening its policies in response to the OSA. Just last week, Bluesky also announced that it would implement age verification for users in the U.K. to meet the same legal requirements. Other social media companies are expected to follow suit as regulators intensify pressure to curb underage exposure to harmful online material.
These moves mark a significant shift for platforms that previously relied mainly on self-declared birthdates. Now, with the U.K. pushing for more reliable checks, online communities face the challenge of balancing regulatory compliance, user privacy, and smooth user experience. As the new rules take hold, many are watching to see how effectively these measures protect young people without introducing new risks in the process.
