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Episode details

World Service,22 Aug 2025,11 mins

ID please! Why the UK is checking your age online

What in the World

Available for over a year

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 Email: [email protected] WhatsApp: +44 330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: Hannah Gelbart Producers: Benita Barden and Adam Chowdhury Editor: Julia Ross-Roy

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