Apple is introducing mandatory age verification for UK iPhone users, requiring them to confirm they are 18 or older to access certain services and features. The new measure, believed to be the first of its kind in a European market, will be rolled out via a software update.
To verify their age, users can upload a credit card (though not a debit card) to their Apple account, or scan a driving licence or national ID. For existing account holders, Apple says it will check whether a payment method is already on file to confirm adult status.
Ofcom has welcomed the move as a “real win for children and families”, saying it forms part of a wider effort to shield young people from harmful online content. The regulator noted that the UK will be among the first countries globally to receive such child safety protections on devices.
However, some users have raised privacy concerns about uploading sensitive information. One Reddit user wrote: “Myself and everyone I know … are doing everything to bypass these overreaching age checks. I want to have a choice on each occasion to skip or cancel if asked to prove my age.”
The change follows the introduction of age verification gates by other web services, including pornography sites, under the Online Safety Act. App stores are not covered by that law, but Ofcom has said it will report in January on children’s use of app stores and assess how effective age assurance measures are.
