New legal requirements to check users’ ages before they can access pornography online could create serious security and privacy risks, a new report has warned.
The study from the European Policy Information Center (EPICENTER) and the Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA) argued: “Mandatory age verification could significantly increase the amount of sensitive data held by third parties and the frequency at which it is collected, exposing users to privacy breaches and abuse.”
The rules are found in the UK’s controversial new Online Safety Act, which is designed to ensure children can’t access pornography.
The EU’s Digital Services Act, which came into force a year ago, doesn’t specifically address age verification, but does require online sites to protect children from harmful content, such as pornography. Individual member states could be preparing similar checks as a result.
Age Verification Found to be Impossible
The new report – The XXX Factor: Internet Freedom Hinges on Pornography – argued that effective age verification is “practically impossible” because users will simply deploy anonymizing tools like virtual private networks (VPNs).
It also cautioned that any strict new rules could push “traffic towards less regulated and less secure platforms, thereby exacerbating risks.”
Report author and research fellow at the Bruno Leoni Institute, Giacomo Lev Mannheimer, argued that policymakers must strike a better balance between tackling illegality and protecting privacy, free expression and digital innovation.
“The age verification mandate within the Online Safety Act poses a significant threat to privacy and user freedom by creating a database linking individual identities with adult content consumption,” he added.
“Hopefully, Ofcom’s code of conduct about age verification will take into account these concerns.”