Reddit users in the United Kingdom will now be blocked from accessing “certain mature content” unless they complete the platform’s new age verification process. Reddit announced on Monday that UK users will need to upload a selfie or a photo of their government ID in order to view content that’s restricted for under-18s by the UK Online Safety Act (OSA), including abusive, violent, and sexually explicit materials.
The age verification process is performed by Persona, a third-party provider that won’t have access to users’ Reddit data or retain photos for longer than seven days. Reddit says it also won’t have access to uploaded photos, and that it will only store birthdates and verification statuses so that users don’t need to re-verify their account. I managed to complete the process myself this morning using a selfie in under a minute, though the photo tool had some difficulty detecting when my face was correctly framed.
“Reddit was built on the principle that you shouldn’t need to share personal information to participate in meaningful discussions,” Reddit said in its announcement. “While we still don’t want to know who you are on Reddit, there are certainly situations where it would be helpful if we knew a little more about you.”
Reddit noted that there is a “growing number of jurisdictions” that have passed or are considering laws that require online platforms to verify the ages of their users. As such, the platform says it’s also introducing a global option for users to provide their birthdate “to help ensure that content and ads are age-appropriate,” and may roll out age verification requirements in other regions.
More information about the verification process can be found here. A list of content categories that are restricted to minors — some of which could be considered subjective, such as content that “romanticizes” depression, hopelessness, and despair — can also be found here.
Like a similar age check introduced on Bluesky last week, Reddit’s age verification mandate is being introduced to comply with rules under the OSA that require online platforms to implement measures that protect children from seeing harmful and age-inappropriate content by July 25th. According to a report published by British communications regulator Ofcom last year, Reddit was the fastest-growing large social media platform in the UK in 2024, experiencing a 47 percent year-on-year increase in reach for adult users.
“The UK’s online safety rules are coming into force and change is happening. Society has long protected youngsters from products that aren’t suitable for them, from alcohol to smoking or gambling,” Ofcom said in a statement to The Verge. “Now, children will be better protected from online material that’s not appropriate for them, while adults’ rights to access legal content are preserved. We expect other companies to follow suit, or face enforcement if they fail to act.”
The announcement also mentioned Reddit “would like to be able” to confirm whether users are human or not in the new age of AI. Reddit said that it has “more to come about that later,” suggesting the platform is planning to crack down on AI bot accounts.
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