Digital rights groups warn UK age-gating plans could reshape access to the open web
A coalition of digital rights organisations and technology companies argues that proposed UK measures on online harms could expand age verification requirements across core internet services, with implications for privacy, access, and interoperability.
A coalition of civil society groups, technology organisations, and VPN providers has warned that UK proposals aimed at addressing online harms could significantly expand age verification requirements across the internet.
The statement follows debate around implementation of the UK’s Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill. Ministers are now consulting on which platforms and features could be restricted behind age gates.
The concern is not limited to children’s accounts. According to the signatories, many of the proposed measures would require all users to verify their age in order to access services or features. This could affect a broad range of online spaces, including gaming platforms, VPN services, and websites.
The groups argue that the approach focuses too heavily on restricting access rather than addressing how platforms are designed. They point to business models based on data collection and engagement optimisation as underlying drivers of harmful online environments.
A central issue is age assurance technology itself. The statement argues that existing systems involve trade-offs between accuracy, privacy, and accessibility. It also warns that large-scale deployment could increase security risks by concentrating sensitive identity data across platforms and verification systems.
The coalition further argues that broad age-gating requirements could reinforce the dominance of large platforms and app stores. Smaller or decentralised services may struggle to implement compliance systems at the same scale.
The statement was signed by organisations including Electronic Frontier Foundation, Mozilla, Internet Society, Open Rights Group, and Tor Project.
Rather than expanding access controls, the signatories call for stronger accountability measures aimed at platform design and data practices. They argue that safety interventions should be proportionate and should not undermine privacy, free expression, or the open structure of the web.
