- iOS and iPadOS users in the UK must now verify their age
- Otherwise, certain features may be disabled for children under 18 years of age.
- Meta and Google have been fined for their child safety policies
It seems we’re reaching a point of reckoning when it comes to phone use by under-18s: Apple is rolling out mandatory age verification for iPhone and iPad users in the UK, just a day after Meta and Google suffered a huge fine in a landmark social media trial.
Starting with the release of Apple verification, this is part of the new iOS 26.4 and iPadOS 26.4 update for UK users. If you’re a UK user, you’ll be asked to register a credit card or scan an ID to prove you’re 18 or older, unless Apple has previously confirmed your age.
Apple has all the details here and says the verification process is “required by law in some countries and regions” regarding “downloading apps, changing certain settings, or taking other actions with your Apple account.” If you need to verify your account, you will see a message appear in the Settings menu.
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While current UK law does not require this specific device-level age verification step, recent legislation does mean it is mandatory for adult websites (including porn sites). The responsibility for verification has fallen to the sites themselves, but checks have also been requested at the device level.
With the UK government testing a restriction on social media for under-16s, a law similar to the one implemented in Australia now looks likely. Apple’s intentions may be to get ahead of any such decision and, according to the BBC, it has been working closely with regulator Ofcom on the new feature.
It’s unclear exactly what will happen if you’re under 18 and can’t confirm an adult identity. According to Apple’s support document, you may see certain features restricted or asked to join a family sharing group operated by a parent, but the wording suggests this will vary on a case-by-case basis.
Another reason why Apple might have taken this action is the landmark lawsuit against social media that has just come to an end in Los Angeles: Meta and Google were ordered to pay $6 million (around £4.5 million / AU$8.65 million) to a young woman who claimed that Facebook, WhatsApp and YouTube were severely affecting her mental health.
The woman’s lawyers described the apps developed by Meta and Google as “addiction machines,” arguing that the technology companies had not done enough to prevent younger children from accessing these platforms or to protect them from the harms associated with too much screen time.
In a separate trial in New Mexico that reached a verdict earlier this week, Meta was separately ordered to pay a fine of $375 million (approximately £281 million / AU$541 million) for misleading users about child safety protections on its apps. Meta had been aware of child predators on its platforms and had not done enough to block them, the jury decided.
Both Meta and Google intend to appeal: “Teenage mental health is deeply complex and cannot be linked to a single app,” a Meta spokesperson said. “We will continue to defend ourselves vigorously as each case is different and we remain confident in our record of protecting teenagers online.”
And while Apple’s age restrictions have been welcomed by Ofcom and child protection groups, not everyone is happy about it: some see it as another step towards “mass surveillance” and even more tracking and recording of user data, while others argue that safeguarding responsibilities should fall to parents and not device manufacturers.
However, the momentum definitely seems to be in one direction at the moment, and with AI bots being another problem facing the internet, it’s likely that more verification checks will start to appear in the future.
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