December 5, 2023
2 mins read

UK Govt recommends use of AI to judge if user is an adult 

Ofcom expects to publish its final guidance in early 2025, after which the government will bring these duties into force…reports Asian Lite News

The government’s internet regulator Ofcom on Tuesday set out new guidance on highly-effective age checks to stop children accessing online porn services.

Under the new Online Safety Act, websites and apps that display or publish pornographic content must ensure that children are not normally able to encounter pornography on their service, Ofcom said in a statement.

Methods could include photo ID matching, facial age estimation and credit card checks and online services must take care to safeguard users’ privacy and adults’ rights to access legal pornography, the regulator added.

Companies who ultimately fall short will face enforcement action, including possible fines.

Ofcom expects to publish its final guidance in early 2025, after which the government will bring these duties into force.

“Our practical guidance sets out a range of methods for highly effective age checks. We’re clear that weaker methods – such as allowing users to self-declare their age – won’t meet this standard,” said Dame Melanie Dawes, Ofcom’s Chief Executive.

“Regardless of their approach, we expect all services to offer robust protection to children from stumbling across pornography, and also to take care that privacy rights and freedoms for adults to access legal content are safeguarded,” Dawes added.

Latest research shows that the average age at which children first see online pornography is 13 – although nearly a quarter come across it by age 11 (27 per cent), and one in 10 as young as 9 (10 per cent).

The regulator said that websites and apps must introduce ‘age assurance’ – through age verification, age estimation or a combination of both – which is ‘highly effective’ at correctly determining whether a user is a child or not.

“Ofcom’s job is to produce guidance to help online pornography services to meet their legal responsibilities, and to hold them to account if they don’t. Our draft guidance sets strict criteria which age checks must meet to be considered highly effective; they should be technically accurate, robust, reliable and fair,” the regulator stressed.

“We also expect services to consider the interests of all users when implementing age assurance. That means affording strong protection to children, and taking care that privacy rights are safeguarded and adults can still access legal pornography,” it noted.

The vast majority of people are broadly supportive of age assurance on online pornographic sites as a means of protecting children.

ALSO READ-Apple to Bolster UK Workforce in Push for Artificial Intelligence Advancements

Previous Story

Democratic Senators Demand Israel Reduce Civilian Casualties

Next Story

US Aid to Ukraine in Jeopardy

Latest from -Top News

Jaishankar Meets Singapore PM Wong in Delhi

Wong is scheduled to hold bilateral discussions with PM Modi later in the day….reports Asian Lite News External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar on Thursday met Singaporean Prime Minister Lawrence Wong in New

Schools Shut, Children Suffer in Balochistan

Asserting that Pakistan’s oppression in Balochistan has crossed all limits, Mir said, the people of Balochistan are no longer silent….reports Asian Lite News Leading Baloch human rights activist Mir Yar Baloch on

India, Germany Deepen Trade Ties

Bilateral trade has grown significantly over the past decade between the two nations, reaching a record high of around $33.4 billion…reports Asian Lite News Amid significant and far-reaching changes on the global

India to Build Oz Homes?

The announcement comes as Australia grapples with a worsening housing crisis….reports Asian Lite News India’s Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal has revealed that New Delhi is in “deep negotiations” with Canberra

Africa’s Power Play: Xi, Putin or Modi?

Africa’s future hinges on rejecting mercenaries and debt traps while embracing true partners….reports Asian Lite News Africa’s political landscape in 2025 shows starkly different strategies by major powers. India has focused on
Go toTop

Don't Miss

EU lawmakers agree on artificial intelligence laws

Breton said the rules would implement safeguards for the use

Who will design Queen Elizabeth II Memorial? 

The final design will be announced to coincide with what