From false birthdates to fake moustaches, British children are finding ways to bypass age verification under the UK’s landmark Online Safety Act (OSA), a survey has found. Despite the new legal framework designed to shield minors from harmful material, a recent study suggests that nearly half of underage users find existing digital barriers easy to circumvent, leaving them exposed to adult content and violent imagery.
The Online Safety Act mandates that platforms hosting user-generated content or adult material must employ robust age-verification technologies. This push has led to increased regulatory scrutiny by UK authorities, forcing tech giants to roll out parental controls, content filters and facial scan tools. However, the practical application of these safeguards is reportedly falling short of legislative intent.
A report by Internet Matters, based on a survey of 1,000 children and parents across the United Kingdom, highlights a significant disconnect between policy and reality. While the OSA has pressured platforms to prioritise safety, the survey found that 46% of underage children consider bypassing these systems to be “easy”.
The methods of evasion vary from the rudimentary to the theatrical. While most children simply input a false year of birth, others have found ways to trick biometric systems. In cases where platforms use facial analysis technology, some youths reported using make-up or attaching fake moustaches to appear older than their actual age.
