ID please! Why the UK is checking your age online
Proof of age is needed for porn, music streaming and some social media.
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.
Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld
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Presenter: Hannah Gelbart
Producers: Benita Barden and Adam Chowdhury
Editor: Julia Ross-Roy
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- Fri 22 Aug 202517:50GMTBBC World Service News Internet
- Sat 23 Aug 202502:50GMTBBC World Service East and Southern Africa, South Asia, West and Central Africa & East Asia only
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