Age assurance is only triggered when users try to access certain features or content — such as music videos labelled 18+
Spotify has begun using facial age estimation and biometric ID verification technology from Yoti to comply with the UK’s new Online Safety Act (OSA), as regulators push platforms to restrict access to adult content.
Under the system, users flagged as under 18 can verify their age by scanning an identity document and taking a selfie. Those unable or unwilling to do so face account deactivation and, eventually, deletion. If a user disputes an inaccurate age estimate but does not complete verification, their account will be deactivated, with a 90-day window to submit proof before deletion.
Age assurance is only triggered when users try to access certain features or content — such as music videos labelled 18+ — but they must still prove they are at least 13 to meet Spotify’s minimum age requirement.
The rollout coincides with a sharp rise in demand for age-checking services. Yoti reported a 25% traffic jump since the OSA came into effect last week, while OneID said it is now processing around a million checks per day, with more than two million new users registered. Figures from the Age Verification Providers Association suggest daily checks have risen by five million.
Not all companies are in compliance. Ofcom has opened investigations into 34 pornographic websites run by four companies, alongside ongoing probes into a suicide forum, 4Chan, file-sharing services and a “nudify” site operator.
The measures have prompted a surge in VPN use as people attempt to bypass restrictions. Four VPN apps are currently among the top five free downloads on Apple’s App Store, with Proton reporting an 1,800% increase in downloads.
Privacy advocates have also criticised the policy, pointing to risks highlighted by a recent breach at the “dating safety” app Tea, which exposed selfies, ID photos and over a million private messages. The Consumer Choice Center and the Center for Democracy & Technology warn that mandatory age checks could increase the likelihood of similar incidents.
The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology said it has “no plans to repeal the Online Safety Act” and is working with Ofcom to “implement the Act as quickly and effectively as possible.” A petition calling for its repeal has already gathered more than 455,000 signatures, far exceeding the threshold for parliamentary debate.
