Governments around the world are introducing legislation that threatens online privacy in the name of protecting children. The most recent example is the UK’s Online Safety Act, which came into effect on August 3. It requires age verification—either through government ID or credit card—to access adult content online. While the goal is to keep inappropriate material away from minors, the implementation is deeply flawed and raises serious privacy concerns.
The UK isn’t alone. Australia and several US states are pushing similar laws. The US Supreme Court even upheld a Texas law requiring age verification for adult websites. In response, many websites are choosing to block access entirely in those regions. VPN use in the UK spiked over 1400% after the law came into force, and that’s only from one VPN provider in the first few minutes! UK officials are now even considering banning children from using VPNs.
This trend is alarming because the proposed “solutions” are invasive. Scanning and storing government IDs and credit cards to access websites creates enormous risks. Many of these systems are run by third-party companies, not governments, which opens the door to data breaches, leaks, and potential misuse. A notable incident involved the Tea dating website where over 72,000 images, including 13,000 photo IDs, were leaked.
What’s more concerning is how these regulations often go too far. Innocent content—even some Roblox channels—have been flagged and blocked simply because they might contain vaguely adult-themed material. If you want to learn about biology or health topics, you could be restricted. It shows how poorly defined and overly broad these laws can be.
Canada isn’t far behind. A few years ago, a similar bill made it through Parliament but was ultimately shot down. Now, there’s growing concern it’s coming back. A Canadian privacy lawyer has warned that with the UK and Australia already enforcing these laws, Canada may follow suit under the same justification of “protecting children.” If that happens, it could mean even more intrusive monitoring of what Canadians do online.
Big tech companies are also taking advantage. YouTube announced plans to use AI to estimate a viewer’s age based on watch history and account data. Google may also push for ID uploads, using government policy as an excuse to collect more user data—data they can monetize (this is their business model after all). This erosion of privacy isn’t really about protecting kids; it’s about increasing control and surveillance.
There are smarter ways to approach this issue. The core solution is parenting. For example, I have old Android phones set up with locked-down child profiles using Google Family Link. My kids can only access apps I approve, can’t browse the web, and need my password to make any changes. It’s not complicated—just responsible parenting.
A friend of mine mentioned one country (I forgot which one) testing an anonymous adult verification process. One model involved checking ID at physical locations like bars, where you’d receive a code proving you’re an adult, without linking it to your identity online. It’s not perfect, but it balances privacy and safety far better than centralized ID tracking. You then use that code (which isn’t tied to you in any form) to watch whatever adult type content it might, including action packed rated R movies.
If governments genuinely cared about protecting children and privacy, they’d consult cyber security experts to develop better systems. Instead, they’re introducing laws that will likely backfire. As privacy erodes, people will turn to piracy and the dark web to avoid surveillance. That includes adult content, violent films, and anything behind verification walls. Restricting access through heavy-handed regulation will only push people to riskier, less regulated corners of the internet.
What can you do? First, never upload your government ID or credit card to access websites unless absolutely necessary. Use a reputable VPN. Most importantly, contact your local representatives. Let them know this is unacceptable. Privacy matters. There must be a better way to protect children that doesn’t compromise the freedoms of everyone else.
The solution isn’t more surveillance—it’s better parenting, smarter policy, and privacy-focused technology.
