GoKawiilTaylor Kerns / Android Authority
TL;DR Apple has begun rolling out device-level age checks on iOS in the UK.
Failing to verify your age could limit app downloads, web browsing, and apply stricter safety filters to messages and calls.
The move mirrors growing interest in OS-level age verification in the US, but some users are raising privacy concerns.
Age verification online has been a hot topic over the last year or so. You may have already run into it on YouTube, and other platforms like ChatGPT and Discord are also starting to introduce verifications. But so far, those checks have been limited to individual apps or services. That might be starting to change, as age checks are beginning to appear on users’ devices.
How do you feel about OS-level age verification? 20 votes I’m fine with it if it improves safety 10 % Depends how much data I have to share 15 % I'm completely against it 75 % Other (share in comments) 0 %
As Ars Technica reports, Apple has begun rolling out a new age verification system tied to iOS in the UK. After installing the latest update, iPhone owners there may be asked to confirm they’re over 18 to access certain services. Failure to do so prevents the user from downloading certain adult-rated apps on the App Store, but it doesn’t end there. You could also reportedly face limits on web browsing, along with stricter “communication safety” checks in Messages and FaceTime that are designed to detect nude images and videos. Apple’s support pages suggest that failing to verify your age may restrict access to certain services or features altogether, though the company hasn’t specified which are affected.
To confirm your age, Apple offers several options, including checking a credit card on file, scanning a government ID like a passport or driver’s license, or using signals like how long your account has been active.
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