(FOX 2) – Some users of YouTube in the United States may be barred from the platform starting Wednesday as the Google-owned media giant rolls out ID verification, amid a trend of similar decisions propping up around the debate about online safety.
Big picture view:
In a sweeping motion across the globe, internet anonymity may become a thing of the past, as new laws that were introduced or passed are forcing some to send in their government-issued IDs for verification.
The discussion of age verification on the internet has been in talks between lawmakers for years, under the guise of children’s safety on social media and entertainment platforms. In fact, many US states have passed their own laws, enforcing explicit adult websites to ask for an ID to accurately verify if a user is over 18 years old.
Now, the whole internet has been targeted, after the United Kingdom implemented the Online Safety Act in July 2025. The act, according to the UK Government, puts new duties on social media companies and search engines, saying it makes them “more responsible for their users’ safety on their platforms.” The law is meant to make services safer for minors.
Since the law has passed, social media platforms and even music listening services like Spotify are making UK users identify themselves through ID in order to view explicit material on their platform, or risk their account being deleted.
Wikipedia challenged the law, claiming it could threaten the human rights and safety of its volunteers, according to a report by the BBC. Though the case was dismissed by the UK’s High Court, they stated that the door has been open for future litigation.
Pushback continued, as nearly half a million people signed a petition to repeal the law, which was met with denial by the UK Government.
Why you should care:
Like a flame at the end of a wick, the Online Safety Act started a chain reaction of some governments worldwide, bringing similar laws to their countries, from Australia attempting to ban social media for users under 16, to two laws re-introduced in the United States, the SCREEN Act and the Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA).
Though neither law had been voted on in the House or Senate as of Aug. 12, the messaging was clear for major online platforms in the states.
According to YouTube, the company shared plans to introduce new technology that would distinguish between minors and adults to “help provide the best and most age-appropriate experiences and protections.”
The video-sharing service said they will use AI to look over the actions of users to determine their age range. They said three things would be reviewed:
- Types of videos a user is searching for
- The categories of videos they have watched
- The longevity of the account
If the AI detects a teen user, YouTube says the account will be given age-appropriate protection. Meanwhile, a user who may be falsely identified as such, must verify it through an ID.
“We will only allow users who have been inferred or verified as over 18 to view age-restricted content that may be inappropriate for younger users.”
The controversy behind all these decisions, from governments to social media giants, is not the protection of minors from disturbing content, but the uncomfortable act of sending sensitive information to not just the website itself, but the third-party verification companies each site may partner with.
The threat of data breaches can lead to identity theft and loss of credit, and it has happened to many sites as recently as July.
Recent Examples:
The Tea App was a controversial dating app that allowed women to rate men they have dated with a red flag or a green flag. To ensure the user was a woman, the app asked for a selfie and a picture of the user’s ID.
As the app reached peak popularity, a hacker was able to leak the IDs and selfies of thousands of women onto websites like 4Chan, even exposing their location on a map.
Though the only users who signed up prior to February 2024 were affected, the incident became a major point for those against ID verification on the internet.
Local perspective:
In Michigan, Dearborn Heights families were fuming after the personal information of children on a sports team was leaked on the city’s official website.
Dearborn Heights officials tell FOX 2 the personal information was listed on documents relating to reimbursements between the City and the youth baseball league. That paperwork went before the City Council to be added as an agenda item.
City Council Chair Mo Baydoun says the documents were not properly redacted as they should have been.
What’s next:
It is unknown when or if US lawmakers will vote on similar laws to the UK. The future of the internet is always changing as it becomes a primary tool for society in terms of work, education, entertainment and communication. Though it is a frontier of information, many fear these new laws could deny many who want to keep their privacy a chance to access that information.
Meanwhile, children use online services more and more in their lives as technology changes. So, as the search for safer measures online for children is needed, some fear it could lead to privacy issues further down the road.
The Source: FOX 2 used information from the US Congress and the UK Government as well as previous reporting. We also used details from additional sources, including YouTube and the BBC.
