In 2025, age checks started locking people out of the internet

In 2025, across parts of Europe and the US, age checks for certain websites turned long‑running child‑protection debates into real‑world access controls, with users finding entire categories of sites locked behind ID checks and platforms geo‑blocking whole countries. The UK’s Online Safety Act coincided with a sharp rise in VPN use, as people sought to bypass the new walls, while France’s hardline stance led to major adult sites geo‑blocking the country.

Regulators such as Ofcom publish lists of acceptable age‑verification methods, each with privacy and usability trade‑offs, and none are perfect, meaning many systems still require users to surrender sensitive data. The article notes multiple methods in use or proposed, including facial age estimation, digital identity services, credit card checks and mobile network checks, all presenting privacy risks and potential exclusion of some users.

It also argues that unless privacy‑preserving systems emerge, age‑verification policies intended to protect children may undermine privacy and open access to information. According to Ofcom, the core challenge remains balancing safety with privacy as these measures become more widespread.