The UK government proposed new age-check guidelines to better protect children from accessing digital pornography. This includes suggesting the use of AI-based technology to estimate if a viewer appears to be of legal age.
The recently passed Online Safety Act requires websites and apps that display or publish pornographic content to ensure that children do not usually encounter such material on their platforms. The legal age for accessing pornography in the UK is 18 and over. Studies show children are being exposed to online pornography at increasingly younger ages. On average, children first view pornography online at age 13, while nearly a quarter encounter it by age 11, and one in ten as young as age 9, according to a 2021-2022 study by the Office of the Children’s Commissioner for England.
The new guidance recommends using age verification technology that analyzes facial features to estimate a user’s age. While not completely foolproof, it adds a layer of protection beyond self-declared ages. The technology would block access if it estimates the user is underage.
The UK government believes these new safeguards are necessary to reduce the availability and exposure of pornography to children. While responsibility lies with adult websites, additional checks through age-estimation technology can help restrict access and limit the impact explicit material can have on young, developing minds.
Read the original article here: https://www.reuters.com/world/uk/ai-could-judge-if-user-is-porn-watching-age-under-new-uk-guidance-2023-12-05/