Implementation of the UK Online Safety Act

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United Kingdom's Online Safety Act 2023 is a law that aims to protect users from illegal and harmful content, while contributing to a more age-appropriate experience.

Background

Information about the product/service history to provide the necessary context surrounding the incident

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Websites affected

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Impartial and complete description of the events, including actions taken by the company, and the timeline of the incident coming to the public's attention.

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YouTube

Main article: Youtubes Requirement for Government ID

On July 30, 2025, YouTube responded by announcing its verification system, requesting users for either a government-issued ID, a photo, or credit card, in order to show that users are 18 and older. Age will be estimated through various information, including videos watched, and would lock users flagged below 18 unless they send one of aforementioned proofs.

Consumer response

Summary and key issues of prevailing sentiment from the consumers and commentators that can be documented via articles, emails to support, reviews and forum posts.

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United Kingdom saw an increased VPN usage by 1400 percent. As of August 16, 2025, there has been at least 500 thousand signatures petitioning to repeal the act.

Government response

Ofcom discouraged the promotion of VPNs.