While age verification is used to protect the youth from explicit content online, for example, porn or violence, it also de-anonymizes online usage in a way we’ve never seen before. Requiring people to verify their age through methods like facial recognition or by registering with an official ID does make it harder for children to access restricted content, but it also prevents anyone from using the web anonymously, particularly now that age verification is being required for more and more services. It is highly problematic that these invasive forms of verification infringe on everyone’s privacy, increase the risk of online surveillance, and could end anonymity online. On top of that, politicians have now started debating to require age verification also for VPN usage.

More than 370 scientists who focus their research on technology have already warned against introducing age verification “until the scientific consensus settles on the benefits and harms that age-assurance technologies can bring, and on the technical feasibility.”

Scientists say they need more time to do research and find ways to perform age verification without harming everyone’s privacy and security online. But politicians do not want to listen; they want solutions fast - at the cost of every internet user.

Countries with age-verification laws

Countries with age verification for adult content, social media platforms, and VPNs.

Age verification has been around for decades already, for instance, for sites with explicitly adult content like porn or violent games. But now, many countries are also requiring age verification for other websites and platforms, such as YouTube, Steam, Instagram, and Roblox. Let’s check the situation worldwide. What is more if you are asking the question “What countries don’t require age verification?”, the answer will be quite empty. Currently, it seems as if all countries around the world are debating age verification laws for social media, or at least debating and evaluating ideas on how to better protect children online - and limit online access in general along with upcoming measures.

If you are currently looking for a country without ID checks for social media, you will get lucky in most countries - for the time being - (except for the countries listed below), but this status might change quickly in lots of countries.

List of countries with age verification for social media (October 2026)

• Australia
• Brazil
• Greece (law passed, ban applies from January 1, 2027)
• Malaysia
• Indonesia
• Turkey (law passed, ban applies six months after publication)
• United Kingdom (partially; a full ban for people under the age of 16 is planned for spring 2027)
• USA (partially)

List of countries discussing age verification for social media (October 2026)

• European Union (EU KIDS Act has been proposed)
• Austria
• Belgium
• Canada
• Denmark
• France (initial law was struck down; a new law is being prepared)
• Gabon
• Germany
• India
• Italy
• Kenya
• Mauritius
• Netherlands
• New Zealand
• Norway
• Pakistan
• Papua New Guinea
• Philippines
• Poland
• Portugal
• Slovenia
• Spain

United States

There’s no single federal age-verification law for general online services in the USA. But a lot of states require age verification for online gambling, online pornography, or other adult content. Louisiana, Utah, Mississippi, Missouri, Virginia, Arkansas, Texas, Montana, North Carolina, Idaho, Kansas, Kentucky, Nebraska, Indiana, Alabama, Oklahoma, Florida, South Carolina, Tennessee, Georgia, Wyoming, South Dakota, North Dakota, Arizona, Ohio, West Virginia, and Iowa require age verification via an ID card for online pornography. The first state to introduce age verification was Louisiana in 2023.

However, age verification laws do not stop there. In Ohio, Mississippi, South Dakota, and Wyoming, the laws are phrased more broadly so that they can also include social media platforms, or any platform that hosts adult content. To date, not all social media services require age verification in these states, but Bluesky is asking its users to do a face check via a verification company called Yoti, or submit a photo of their credit card to prove that they are over 18 years old.

In mid-September 2026, California passed “Adam’s Law”. The name was chosen in remembrance of Adam Raine, a 16-year-old boy who took his own life in 2025, according to his parents because of suicidal thoughts that were encouraged by OpenAI’s ChatGPT program. The Californian bill limits access to social media and AI platforms for teens younger than 16 years old to make sure that children and young teenagers cannot use addictive features in those apps.

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United Kingdom

The UK’s Online Safety Act was passed in 2023, and even though it was heavily criticized by privacy groups and legal experts, the regulations introduced with it are slowly changing the online landscape in the UK. The deadline for certain websites to implement stricter age verification was on July 25, 2025.

The Online Safety Act places a duty of care on tech companies to protect children from inappropriate material, hate speech, bullying, child sexual abuse material (CSAM), and fraud. Services like social media, websites, search engines, online forums, and dating services (in addition to porn and gambling sites) are now required to implement stricter age verification systems. Even if the service is located abroad, it needs to comply with the UK law if it has a large number of UK users or if the UK is a target market.

Now, users in the UK can no longer simply click the box to confirm they are over the age of 18 for a quick age check. To access websites or services with content that classifies as restricted for children, users will have to prove their age through different methods, for example, facial recognition, uploading their IDs, or by credit card verification. If sites don’t comply with these new age checking regulations, they may be fined up to 18 million pounds or 10% of their worldwide revenue.

In the UK, Pornhub, xHamster, RedTube, and 600+ other adult websites are fully blocked unless you verify your age. Many online services also block certain content or the option to message other users if age verification was not passed, such as Reddit, Bluesky, X, Spotify, Discord, and others.

At the beginning of 2026, the House of Lords voted for a social media ban similar to Australia, but this was overturned by the House of Commons in March, and a public consultation was launched. Then, on June 15, 2026, the UK’s Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced that social media would be banned for children under the age of 16. This includes platforms like Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram but excludes messaging apps like WhatsApp.

It’s expected that the first set of regulations related to the UK’s under-16 social media ban will be released by the end of the year, and changes will start being implemented by the spring 2027. Worryingly, its been reported that the UK government plans to enforce passport ID check on social media platforms which threatens everyone’s anonymity and privacy.

Australia

Australia introduced age verification not only for pornography and online gambling, but it was one of the first Western countries to use age verification to block minors from using social media completely. On December 10, 2025, an Australian age verification law enforced that major social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, X (Twitter), YouTube, Snapchat, Reddit, Threads, Twitch, and Kick, have to block under-16s from having an account. The scope of the law can be expanded to search engines and other sites to make sure minors do not get in touch with age-restricted content such as pornography or self-harm.

Brazil

In late 2025, Brazil passed a law that requires age verification to stop minors from accessing social media. The ECA Digital (Digital Statute of Children and Adolescents) states that minors aged 12 to 18 must get parental or legal guardian consent to download online applications. The law has been in place since March 2026. Now in Brazil, a quick self-declaration of age is not allowed, and social media accounts for people under the age of 16 have to be linked to a guardian’s account.

Canada

Canada, similar to most Western countries, now also plans an age verification bill, Bill S-209, but is criticized for repeating the same mistakes as the UK with this draft law. In June 2026, the Canadian government also introduced the Safe Social Media Act (Bill C-34), which would ban those under the age of 16 from having social media accounts.

New Zealand

Following the example of its neighbour Australia, New Zealand plans legislation that will ban under-16s from social media platforms. In August 2026, the New Zealand government introduced an Online Safety Bill. This would require platforms to verify that users are over the age of 16 using different methods like facial age estimation technology or official ID. Two of the governement’s coalition partners oppose this bill so it’s unlikely it will pass before the eclections on November 7, 2026.

Norway

In Norway, a law has been proposed that wants to ban under-16s from social media. The bill will be presented to the Norwegian parliament by the end of the year and it’s expected to come into effect in 2027.

Malaysia

Malaysia has passed a law to keep children under 16 from having social media accounts. Major platforms like Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube must implement age-verification checks to block underage users based on this new legislation. These rules have been enforced since June 1, 2026, and the age checks have to be done against official government records, for example, ID cards or passports. Existing accounts need to verify their age within six months.

Indonesia

In March 2026, Indonesia also restricted social media for people under the age of 16. Platforms that are classified as “high-risk”, for example, TikTok and Instagram, have to remove or deactivate the accounts of people under 16.

Turkey

Turkey passed a law on April 22, 2026, banning children under the age of 15 from accessing social media sites. With this, platforms are required to implement age verification measures, and the ban applies six months after the law’s publication in the Official Gazette. The question is whether these ID checks are really only necessary for proving one’s age, or whether the government will also use the information to identify individual social media users, for instance if they are political activists or opponents. This is a dangerous development that will endanger many people around the world.

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European Union

The Digital Services Act (DSA) requires very large online platforms to ask users for age verification checks where needed to mitigate risks to minors. A simple self-declaration, for instance, “I am 18” is not sufficient for websites with adult content such as pornography, extreme violence, and similar material. Yet, member states of the European Union can impose stricter national rules, and some already have. Let’s break it down!

The EU KIDS Act

On September 17, 2026, the European Commission proposed the EU KIDS Act, which would place a ban on social media for children under the age of 13 and allow 13- and 14-year-olds supervised mini accounts. 15 would be the minimum age for opening an official independent account on social media platforms. This proposal would mean that social and video platforms need to verify the age of its users who open new accounts using the EU’s age verification tool or a public solution, app stores would also be required to do age checks. This proposal still needs approval from the EU member states and the European Parliament.

Greece

Greece is the first European country that has passed a law that requires age verification for social media apps for under-15s. The age ban will become effective on January 1, 2027.

Italy

• Italy requires mandatory age verification for adult websites (pornography and other 18+ content).
• Adult websites are not allowed to promote VPNs as a workaround.

France

French President Emmanuel Macron wants to enforce age verification for social media platforms and ban children and teenagers under the age of 15 from social apps like TikTok and Instagram. In August 2026, the Constitutional Council rejected the law that parliament passed in July. Now, the French government is creating a new proposal to ban social media for children.

Germany

• In Germany, the requirement for age verification for pornography and similar online content has been there for years.
• Age checks via simply ticking a box that someone is “above 18” are not sufficient for such websites.
• German ruling parties CDU, and now also the SPD, are in favor of banning minors from social media.

Spain

• Spain requires age-verification mechanisms for explicit adult content, such as porn.
• Spain is developing a national digital identity tool to do these age verification checks.
• Spain announced plans to ban social media apps for kids and teens similar to the Australian legislation that is already in place. This law is currently being debated in parliament.

Slovenia

• Slovenia is currently drafting a law that would ban children under the age of 15 from accessing social media.

Poland

• Poland wants to launch a tool by the end of 2026 so that children can no longer access social media platforms.

Netherlands

• The new Dutch minority government wants under-15s banned from social media, but it goes further than most countries: The Netherlands not only plans such laws for itself, but it also pushes for a similar regulation on EU level.

Portugal

• Portugal’s parliament has approved a law that will ban under 16s from accessing social media sites. But children above the age of 13 should be able to use social media with “verified parental consent”.

Denmark

In September 2026, Denmark released a draft law for public consultation. This proposes a minimum age of 15 to use certain social media platforms, but allows parents to grant access from the age of 13.

European Union & Chat Control

Additionally, the trilogue discussions about Chat Control have turned into a tough battle on age verification. While the EU Council wants to broaden the services that would need to perform age verification, the EU Parliament stands against these plans. The EU Parliament rejects mandatory age checks for messaging apps and social media platforms and wants online anonymity to remain available.

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What content requires age verification online

Adult content such as pornography, self-harm, and extremely violent content require age verification in all countries analyzed in this article. But the kinds of content that require age verification vary based on the laws of the country or region. This means that the types of content that do or don’t require users to verify their age are dependent on jurisdiction. Sometimes the laws only apply to pornography, sometimes also to social media platforms explicitly, and sometimes the laws are more broad and any website or service provider must decide for themselves whether age verification is needed to adequately protect children so that heavy fines are not imposed on them.

But because age verification laws are being introduced globally at an impressive speed, the situation changes constantly.

Some examples of the content requiring age checks, under the UK’s Online Safety Act include:

• Platforms (websites, apps, and social media) that show explicit content like porn, for example, Pornhub.
• Platforms with content that promotes, encourages, or gives instructions for self-harm, suicide, and eating disorders.

For example, YouTube has introduced an AI age verification system and Meta has already introduced Meta Teens Accounts that have a multilayered approach to checking a user’s age and are intended to protect teens from online threats and harmful content.

Check here if you’d like to know how to circumvent YouTube’s age verification check.

Will age verification work?

The USA, the UK, Europe, and many other countries are currently discussing introducing or tightening existing age verification laws. Australia has banned teenagers under the age of 16 from using social media platforms, the EU recently released a strategy blueprint for age verification and has now proposed the EU KIDS Act with mandatory age checks for new social media accounts,and in the US, different states have also implemented age verification. In most cases, age verification does come with the good intention of protecting children, but it also comes with a huge problem: When people need to register to use certain websites, this gives companies and governments a lot of power over citizens, leading to mass surveillance and loss of privacy.

Plus, age verification might not even work the way it is intended: With age verification, legislators want to make it impossible for people under age to access age-restricted content. But this does not mean it will stop young people from accessing explicit materials, forums, or dating sites completely. For example, virtual private networks (VPNs) are an easy solution to access sites from a different geographic location and avoid giving up your identity to verify your age. And in the UK, VPN usage has greatly increased.

With the introduction of stricter age verification in the UK, people have shared their concerns, opinions, and how the verification doesn’t work the way it’s supposed to. Image: Reddit

Problem with VPNs

Age verification is only required in certain jurisdictions, thus, it’s fairly easy to circumvent any block based on ones’ age with the help of a VPN. For example, the BBC reported that VPN apps were the most downloaded apps on Apple’s App Store in July 2025 in the UK, after popular sites like X, Reddit, and Pornhub implemented age verification checks. In response to this, Rachel de Souza told the BBC Newsnight that VPNs are, “absolutely a loophole that needs closing” and also called for age verification methods on VPNs. The BBC later reported that a government spokesperson said VPNs are legal tools for adult use and there were no plans to ban them.

With easy ways to bypass age verification checks, for example by using VPN services, it’s worth questioning if age verification can actually protect children, or if forcing all individuals to verify their age does not help at all, but only causes harm by killing anonymity and introducing privacy risks.

By now, however, countries, like the UK, are discussing whether VPNs themselves should be forced to perform age verification checks on their users. Online safety minister Kanishka Narayan said to the BBC:

We have decided not to limit VPNs today and that’s the primary conclusion for now but it is something we will continue to review.“

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Privacy risks

If sites are required to collect sensitive data of internet users by screening their faces or collecting their IDs, users are required to trust that their personal data is securely stored and not used for surveillance. But there’s no guarantee for that. Big Tech and other companies have demonstrated time and time again that they are more than happy to collect as much data about their users as possible to create profiles of them and post targeted ads. In addition, the young history of the internet has had loads of cases when online services suffered data breaches or secret services like the NSA requested citizens’ data – even without a warrant.

Plus, once this highly sensitive data is stored centrally at some service’s server, this server becomes an interesting target for malicious attackers. In late 2025, a third-party vendor that handled age-related appeals for Discord got hacked and the government ID photos of 70,000 users could have been exposed. This shows that age verification is not only a privacy risk, it is also a severe security risk.

Destroying anonymity

While anonymity and privacy are not the same, they are closely interlinked. Privacy is a human right and is guaranteed to everyone in a democracy, also because it is the basis for freedom of thought and freedom of speech – the foundation of a functioning democracy. Oftentimes, anonymity is seen as a crucial part to achieve privacy and to protect one’s identity from being exposed and put at risk, which is particularly important for human rights activists, political opponents in oppressive systems, whistleblowers, and journalists.

The internet should be a place to search the web and remain anonymous, particularly for these vulnerable groups. But implementing age verifications like we’ve seen in the UK removes anonymity. Because internet users know they need to verify their age, which in most cases leads to their whole identity being disclosed, it will lead to people being afraid to search the web freely. For example, if the user is queer and lives in a country where being queer is illegal, they may firstly be too scared to find communities and forums relating to LGBTQ online, and even worse, could face censorship from their government.

What becomes clear is that the increased trend of countries to implement strict age verification laws will create an internet that’s less private and less free.

A worried Reddit user shares how they feel “powerless” about the “age verification era”. Image: Reddit.

Problem with ID checks

If the age verification requires ID checks, it will restrict and limit those who do not have government issued IDs. Advocates for age verification often respond that if users do not have IDs, there are still other verification methods easily available to use, for example, using AI to estimate one’s age after uploading a photo or checking financial or internet histories. However, all of these checks are highly invasive and are not always accurate. For example, software to estimate age is often inaccurate for women and minority groups. Plus, it’s not a given that website owners will enable different forms of age verification or possibly only give the option to verify ones age through ID checks.

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No solution

Governments around the world are right in wanting to protect children from harmful content, but age verification is not the solution: Age verification fails to do what it’s supposed to achieve – protect children – and at the same time, it destroys the free and open nature of the internet. Even France’s Constitutional Council agreed that an outright blanket ban with age verification checks for all its citizens is a step too far, and rejected the French social media ban in August 2026.

What becomes evident from the heated discussion about age verification is that a solution that ends online privacy for everyone is no solution at all.