You now need to upload a selfie or Government ID to view mature content on Reddit in the UK
Reddit has announced it will begin implementing an age verification system in the UK, which will require account holders to upload a selfie or a government-issued ID if they wish to engage with "certain mature content."
The announcement made on r/RedditSafety specifies this is being done to comply with the UK's Online Safety Act, which has a deadline of July 25. The act meant as a safety blanket to keep children from accessing sensitive content, demands social media companies and search services implement a verification method to ensure "user safety."
Reddit will use a third-party processor (Persona) to verify identities and says it "will not have access to the uploaded photo." The platform will only store your "verification status along with the birthdate you provided so you won't have to re-enter it each time you try to access restricted content."
The identity verification company Persona, founded in 2018 and headquartered in the US, says it will not store your photo for more than seven days. It also won't "have access to your Reddit data such as thee subreddits you visit."
Reddit also acknowledges that as new laws come into prominence, they might need "to collect and/or verify age in places other than the UK."
The platform is also introducing a global option to provide birthdates "to help ensure that content and ads are age-appropriate." This will be entirely optional and will only be mandated in countries that require them.
The community's reaction
The news was met with mixed feelings in Reddit discussions, with many users pointing out that the definition of "restricted content for minor users" was rather vague. As one of them pointed out, "On Reddit a few swear words on your account will eventually get your account flagged as NSFW. Will I need to verify to see your profile due to some profanity? Will all your posts and comments be hidden from me? Who knows."
Some agreed that the whole thing was "just a mess" and would "have the opposite effect of its intent," forcing "children to go on more sketchy websites that don't abide by this ruling." Also, VPNs are a thing.
Interestingly, Persona itself is a US-based company operating outside the EU, which means they don't technically fall under the purview of the law, at least not until the Kids Online Safety Act is passed in the US.
Many organizations have already been vocal about the shortcomings of the Online Safety Act, such as the Electronic Frontier Foundation, which warns this bill "will lead to a much more censored, locked-down internet for British users," and will empower the government "to not just undermine the privacy and security of UK residents but internet users worldwide."
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