Enforcement of Online Safety Act’s Age-Check Rules Impacting Web Traffic in the United Kingdom
The United Kingdom has recently started enforcing the age-check rules outlined in the Online Safety Act. According to a report by The Washington Post, this enforcement is already causing a significant impact on web traffic.
Under the new U.K. law, pornography websites are now required to verify the ages of their users using methods like face scans and driver’s licenses. Additionally, online platforms must take measures to prevent children from accessing adult content. As a result, websites such as Bluesky and Reddit have begun checking the ages of some users to comply with the regulations.
Effects of the Law on Web Traffic
The Washington Post conducted a study on the impact of the law by analyzing data from the top 90 porn sites in the U.K. based on visitor data from Similarweb. The study revealed that 14 of these sites have not implemented age verification measures. Surprisingly, these non-compliant sites have experienced a significant increase in traffic, with one site even doubling its traffic year-over-year.
Meanwhile, some websites have chosen to comply with the law but have also expressed criticism towards it. Some sites have linked to petitions calling for its repeal or have provided instructions on how to bypass the age verification process.
Expert Opinion
John Scott-Railton, a researcher at the University of Toronto’s Citizen Lab, commented on the unintended consequences of the law. He described the situation as a “textbook illustration of the law of unintended consequences,” noting that the law is inadvertently driving traffic away from compliant platforms and towards sites that do not require age verification.
In conclusion, the enforcement of the Online Safety Act’s age-check rules is reshaping the landscape of web traffic in the United Kingdom, leading to both intended and unintended outcomes across various online platforms.