The UK government says it wants to protect children. That’s the justification behind the Online Safety Act, which came into force on July 25, 2025. But beneath its child-first branding lies something far more troubling: a sweeping system of digital surveillance, AI profiling, and enforced identity checks that threaten both privacy and freedom of expression. Adults must now verify their age using credit cards or government IDs to access certain content. Meanwhile, policymakers are pushing children toward VPNs and the darker corners of the internet by trying to keep them safe in the wrong way.

The law gives the communications regulator, Ofcom, the power to fine platforms up to 10% of their global revenue for failing to comply. It forces companies like YouTube, X, Spotify, and Pornhub to adopt intrusive measures to determine user age. And it does so while ignoring the broader consequences, both political and psychological, of normalizing mass data collection in the name of safety.

Age Verification Systems Are Already Causing Access Issues

Since the Act’s rollout, X has blocked some British users from accessing news and protest footage until they submit to age checks. The platform, responding to local law, restricts content unless users confirm they are over 18. While officials claim this protects young people from harmful material, critics argue that the rules silence dissent and limit public access to information.

YouTube and Spotify have both implemented new compliance tools. YouTube now uses artificial intelligence to monitor viewing habits, search behavior, and account longevity to guess whether a user is under 18. If the system flags someone incorrectly, they must verify their age using ID or credit card information. Spotify, for its part, relies on a digital identity firm called Yoti to facially verify age before allowing access to age-restricted music content.

Supporters call this a long-overdue attempt to rein in the internet. But users are already turning to workarounds. VPN usage in the UK has surged, reflecting frustration with blocked content and the invasive nature of verification systems.

Children Are Being Pushed Toward Greater Online Risk

Zia Yusuf, a senior figure in Reform UK, appeared on BBC’s Newsnight to voice a warning. As a former tech CEO, he argued that the Online Safety Act doesn’t protect children, it pushes them into more dangerous territory. Yusuf pointed out that four of the top five apps on the UK’s App Store after the law took effect were VPNs. These tools allow users, including teenagers, to mask their location and access restricted content.

In Yusuf’s view, tech-savvy teens are not fooled by parental controls or government filters. Instead, they learn to bypass them. That opens the door to unregulated sites, including those on the dark web. He argued that lawmakers behind the bill underestimated young people’s ability to adapt and overstated the effectiveness of blanket rules. The result, according to Yusuf, is that children are now more vulnerable, not less.

His remarks were met with visible tension on the panel, reflecting how polarizing the topic has become. But many digital rights advocates share his concern. They warn that forcing young users to seek information through encrypted or anonymous channels increases, not reduces, their exposure to real online harms.

Artificial Intelligence Systems Are Inaccurate and Discriminatory

While companies claim they use AI to make online spaces safer, these systems are far from reliable. YouTube’s new AI-driven approach estimates a user’s age based on the types of videos they search for, the content they watch, and how long they’ve had their account. But age prediction algorithms have a mixed track record.

Amnesty International found that facial recognition algorithms misidentify people of color at significantly higher rates than white individuals, raising serious concerns about racial bias and accuracy. A groundbreaking study by Joy Buolamwini, Timnit Gebru, and Deborah Raji also revealed that facial recognition systems performed the worst when identifying Black faces, especially those of Black women.

A UK Home Office trial revealed that a government-approved age detection tool frequently misjudged the ages of asylum seekers, sparking outrage over its bias. These same systems are now being deployed to decide what millions can or cannot access online.

In theory, wrongly flagged adults can appeal by uploading ID or making a payment. In practice, many users may not want to hand over sensitive documents to platforms that already track their behavior. AI-powered profiling is now baked into the user experience, and individuals must prove their innocence if flagged as too young.

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Britain’s approach is not unique. Australia recently announced a social media ban for users under 16, effective December 2025. YouTube had initially been exempt, but a federal report showed that 37% of children aged 10 to 15 had encountered harmful content on the platform. That data reversed the exemption and brought YouTube into the scope of the ban. Norway is considering similar legislation, and industry experts predict a domino effect across other democracies.

Backlash has followed. In Australia, Google threatened legal action over the YouTube ban, arguing it violates free expression. On social media, users mocked the government with memes and questioned how informed consent could exist in a system requiring children to hand over personal data to access basic features.

In the UK, an online petition opposing the Online Safety Act has gathered over 430,000 signatures. Critics across the political spectrum agree on one thing: this law grants unprecedented power to the government and unelected regulators, while putting user privacy at risk. Media outlets differ in how they frame the danger, some highlight free speech, others focus on data misuse, but few deny that the legislation has reshaped the internet in ways that will be difficult to undo.

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