A group of tech companies and civil society organisations has urged UK policymakers to reconsider their approach to online safety legislation, warning that proposed age-gating measures and access restrictions threaten to fragment the open internet and erode the rights of all users.
The statement comes as ministers consult on which online platforms and features should be placed behind age verification systems. Proposals under consideration include curfews for young users and sweeping restrictions on access to internet services ranging from video games and VPNs to static websites.
Such proposals would in practice require all internet users to verify their ages, creating significant privacy and data security risks, including to young people, as shown by the serious breaches of UK users’ government ID data.
The expansion of age verification risks entrenching the dominance of major app stores and platform gatekeepers, turning the web into “a patchwork of age-gated jurisdictions” rather than a globally accessible resource.
The statement urges UK policymakers to adopt ‘thoughtful policy interventions’ that address the root cause of online harms – the business models of large platforms, which are built on extensive data collection, behavioural targeting, and engagement-maximising design.
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James Baker, Platform Power Programme Manager at Open Rights Group said:
“Over the last year, policies to prevent children from accessing pornography have been grown to the extent that we could need to provide ID in order to access social media, games and apps or use everyday features such as livestreams or feeds. The massive expansion of online ID systems put both children and adults’ sensitive data at risk.
“It also fails to address the structural problems that cause online harms, such as surveillance-driven advertising models and the dominance of a small number of Big Tech platforms. Expanding age verification will entrench the dominance of large tech companies, and harm small and volunteer-run services who may not be able to afford to comply.”
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