Xbox Insider update introduces age verification to comply with UK Online Safety Act

The fallout from the passing of the UK Online Safety Act is already affecting some Xbox gamers. To avoid penalties, Microsoft is debuting age verification in a new Xbox Insider update. Any user over 18 must verify their identity to preserve social features, including multiplayer chat. For now, the changes are only part of the Alpha Skip-Ahead Ring preview program on Xbox consoles.

Microsoft first announced the ID verification measures in July. The Xbox Wire article mentioned that all UK adults will be asked to complete the additional steps by early 2026. However, to ensure a smooth rollout, the company is now testing the process.

Tom Warren of The Verge shared an image of instructions spotted after the Xbox Insider update. Gamers will have several options to confirm their adult status. It’s possible to estimate an individual’s age using a webcam on a PC or a smartphone camera. Users can also upload a picture of a photo ID, submit to a credit card check, or supply a registered mobile phone number.

Why new age verification requirements are unpopular

Currently, only UK gamers are subject to the new checks. Even so, Microsoft has hinted that age verification may come to other countries. That expectation heightens the privacy concerns of critics. Microsoft promises to protect the data of Xbox gamers, but that’s not reassuring, considering some highly publicized security breaches.

Discord began rolling out age verification measures in April 2025. Recently, the company suffered a significant data breach. Stored by a third-party customer support service, attackers gained access to names, addresses, and billing information. Most troubling was the exposure of 70,000 government IDs.

The Discord incident highlights why opponents of the UK Online Safety Act object to companies collecting sensitive data. Beyond a lack of trust, the process introduced by Microsoft is likely hardly foolproof. At least until all nations face the same restrictions, VPNs are one workaround to avoid limitations.