The European Parliament is set to consider the EU Kids Act, a piece of proposed legislation that could significantly impact how gamers access certain online titles by requiring age verification. This act, intended to shield children from online harm, has been under discussion for over a year and is expected to introduce age limits for various online services, including social media, AI tools, and specific gaming platforms.
According to reports, documents obtained by Euractiv suggest that the act will compel providers of social media and video-sharing platforms to implement age verification for new account creations. This requirement is also slated to extend to other services deemed "risky to minors," such as AI chatbots and online games. Services like industrial AI, office productivity AI, and educational online platforms are not expected to be affected.
This development follows recent age verification measures implemented by other platforms. PlayStation began rolling out age verification checks in Ireland and the UK in April, requiring users to verify their age through methods like facial scans, mobile numbers, or identification to access network features such as voice chatting, messaging, and streaming. The specific verification methods can vary by region.
In Australia, Steam recently implemented proof-of-age verification for accessing games rated R18+. However, this system exclusively accepts Australian credit cards, which may pose challenges for adult players in the region who do not possess one. A message from Steam informs Australian players that Valve is obligated by the Age-Restricted Material App Distribution Services Code to verify users are 18 or older before accessing mature content, requiring the addition of a valid Australian credit card and an update to mature content preferences.
In the United States, there is no federal legislation mandating age verification for online platforms, although some states have enacted their own laws. The issue of age verification remains a contentious topic, central to ongoing debates surrounding online privacy and child safety. The intensity of these discussions was highlighted when Discord temporarily halted its global age verification rollout after a security incident where hackers accessed approximately 70,000 images of users' government IDs.