Reddit has announced that users in the UK have to go through its new age verification process to access “certain mature content.” Users who fail to verify their age can’t access such content on the platform. According to the announcement, users will have to upload a selfie or a photo of their government ID in the Reddit app or website to view content restricted for minors by the UK’s Online Safety Act (OSA).

Reddit users in the UK have to go through age verification to access mature content

It’s worth noting that Persona, a third-party provider, will be handling Reddit’s age verification process. Reddit says that Persona won’t retain your photo used for verification for more than seven days. That’s not all; the third-party provider won’t be able to access your data. 

Reddit also noted that it won’t retain your uploaded photos. However, it will keep your birthdate and verification status so that you don’t have to re-verify your account. At the time of writing, Reddit users in the UK are already able to go through the age verification process. 

Talking about age verification, Reddit noted that it “was built on the principle that you shouldn’t need to share personal information to participate in meaningful discussions.” The company further mentions, “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 acknowledges that many jurisdictions have passed or are considering laws that require online platforms to verify the age of their users. For that reason, the social media tech giant will be launching a global option to provide their birthdate soon. This will help ensure that the ads and content users see are age-appropriate. 

Image: The Verge

The company also plans to crack down on AI bot accounts

For now, the age verification requirement is limited to the UK, but Reddit could roll it out to other regions. If you want to learn more about Reddit’s age verification process, check it out here. You can find a list of content categories that minors can’t access. Remember, the OSA set deadline requires online platforms to comply with rules aimed at protecting minors online by July 25th. Reddit is simply following the orders.

Besides age verification, Reddit has also addressed the concerns of AI bot accounts in its announcement. The social media giant said that it “would like to be able” to verify whether users are human or not. While there’s no information on when Reddit plans to crack down on AI accounts, it’s definitely mulling over the idea.
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Source: ndroidheadlines.com