OSA age-verification problems linked to unregulated providers, digital IDs

An article by Stephen Bush in the Financial Times (£) reports on the ongoing disruption to Internet users caused by the age verification measures contained within the Online Safety Act 2023 (OSA), which came into effect on 25 July. 

The article draws an analogy to the 19th-century Factory Acts, which were similarly resisted but ultimately reset societal balance. It argues that regulation in the digital age will be a process of active engagement and swift amendments, much like tech companies adapt their minimum viable products based on user feedback. Bush believes the OSA, while flawed, should instead be viewed as a first step that aligns with public sentiment, which broadly views the digital law as something that "won't work but is worth trying."

Nevertheless, the article raises specific concerns about the current age verification process, noting that it relies on a "hodgepodge of service providers" that fail to inspire confidence. This is a key reason for the recent surge in UK users adopting VPNs. It's not that adults are determined to circumvent the rules at all costs, but because they are unwilling to share sensitive personal information with unregulated third-party verification services. In this context, Bush identifies that for the OSA to succeed, the government must provide the age verification solution directly rather than outsourcing it. As such, Bush proposes a simple, privacy-preserving age token via a gov.uk account. However, this highlights a broader issue: successive governments have pursued policies that require a form of national ID but have lacked the political will to introduce one, leading to less effective and sometimes "arbitrarily cruel" outcomes, such as the Windrush scandal. 

£ - This Financial Times article requires a subscription.