People in the UK now have to take an age verification selfie to watch porn online
Ofcom, the UK's media regulatory agency, offered a few methods for sites to provide more extensive age verification, including credit card checks, photo ID matching and even estimating a user's age with a provided selfie. Several popular porn sites, including the country's most-visited site PornHub, have agreed to the new regulations. Beyond popular porn providers, social media sites like Reddit and Bluesky, have already implemented an age verification system that complies with the Online Safety Act's rules.
Savvy internet users are already circumventing the age checks by using a VPN, providing a fake ChatGPT-generated photo ID, or taking a high-quality selfie of video game characters. However, the UK's new law also makes it illegal for websites to promote VPNs that get around age verification. To make sure the Online Safety Act is effective, Ofcom will fine companies caught breaking the rules with fines of up to £18 million or 10 percent of their global revenue.
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Yahoo
5 minutes ago
- Yahoo
O2, Three and iD Mobile most complained-about mobile providers
TalkTalk attracted the most complaints from broadband consumers and O2, Three and iD Mobile were the most complained-about mobile providers over the last quarter, latest Ofcom figures show. Plusnet generated the fewest complaints among broadband providers, while EE, Sky Mobile, Tesco Mobile and Vodafone were the least complained-about mobile providers, the regulator said. Ofcom publishes figures for complaints it receives about the UK's main landline, mobile broadband and pay-TV providers every quarter. It said O2's broadband customers mainly complained about how their grievances were handled, while Three customers were most often concerned about billing, pricing and charges. EE and TalkTalk were the most complained-about landline providers, while Utility Warehouse generated the fewest complaints. Virgin Media was the pay-TV provider that generated the most complaints, while Sky and TalkTalk customers were the happiest with their service. The figures cover complaints received by Ofcom from January to March. They remained similar to the previous quarter, but complaints about fixed broadband and pay-TV increased, the regulator said. Ofcom said it compiled and published the figures to help consumers see how their providers performed in relation to others, and to help them choose a new provider if they were thinking of switching. An Ofcom spokeswoman said: 'It's positive to see stable complaints numbers overall, which have come down over time. 'But this doesn't mean telecoms companies can sit back when it comes to customer service. Some providers have seen complaints about them increase, so we want to see further improvements.'
Newsweek
8 minutes ago
- Newsweek
Delta Passenger Asleep on Flight, Anger at What Woman Does on Next Seat
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. A Delta Air Lines passenger joining a Microsoft Teams call during an early morning flight has prompted criticism on Reddit. The incident was detailed in a post titled, "New absurd behavior: Teams meeting from flight," shared by Reddit user u/br0princess on August 4 in the r/delta subreddit. The post described a woman who disrupted the quiet cabin during a flight from San Francisco International Airport (SFO) to Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL). The poster, who did not share their name or age, told Newsweek: "I was sitting in the main cabin" and the "flight was full." "Flying SFO to ATL on the 6:15 a.m., so we all clearly got up early to make the flight," the user wrote in the post. "I'm prepared to catch some more sleep with my neck pillow, eye mask, and earplugs." That plan was upended, the poster explained, when the woman seated next to them began speaking loudly during a video call. "At 8:30 a.m. PT [Pacific Time] this woman next to me wakes me up from TALKING on her Teams meeting, on camera," the user wrote. "I can tell someone on the meeting was shocked that she joined given that she's obviously on plane. She goes 'But it was an important meeting!!!!! I didn't want to miss it.'" The poster told Newsweek that the woman wore headphones and only spoke at the start of the call to say she'd keep her camera off. "She didn't speak again but she did stay on the call to watch her coworkers on the meeting, screen share and take notes/listen..." The Reddit post quickly gained traction, with 4,400 upvotes and hundreds of comments. It sparked a wide-ranging conversation about in-flight internet etiquette and passenger behavior. "If it was that important," the original poster continued. "Maybe don't fly during your In Person Account Meeting to review your marketing statistics for your client?...I'm FUMING. People have lost their damn minds and basic courtesy." A stock image of a woman wearing earphones and using a laptop on a plane. A stock image of a woman wearing earphones and using a laptop on a plane. Getty According to the Delta website, free Wi-Fi is available for SkyMiles members on most domestic flights and "once you are connected to Wi-Fi, you can message using messaging apps such as iMessage, Facebook Messenger or WhatsApp on compatible devices." However, the airline does not specify any guidelines for taking calls on board. While the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has permitted the use of portable electronic devices during flights since 2013, the rules around voice calls and video conferencing are unknown. Back in October 2013, the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announced that "airlines can safely expand passenger use of Portable Electronic Devices during all phases of flight" and "most commercial airplanes can tolerate radio interference from portable electronic devices." While it's safe to read downloaded materials, such as e-books and calendars, and to play games, "in some instances of low visibility—about one percent of flights—some landing systems may not be proven to tolerate the interference," the FAA said, advising that "in those cases, passengers should be asked to turn-off devices." While connectivity may be technically safe, airlines and social norms still frown upon disruptive in-flight behavior—especially during early morning flights when many passengers are trying to rest. The Reddit user told Newsweek: "I did tell her that the call wasn't allowed, she claimed she didn't know, even though it was announced at the start of the flight. I told a flight attendant walking past us and the flight attendant told her to stop. She did not and continued to sit on the call." The poster then asked the woman to get up and then went to speak with a flight attendant about her again. "She was told she'd get written up if she stayed on the meeting and she said she was only working, not on a meeting," the poster noted. "Nothing really came of it," the poster said. "The part that upset me the most was that she spoke loudly and woke me up on an early morning flight to do something that was prohibited..." Several Reddit users expressed sympathy with the original poster. "FA [flight attendant] here: Please ring your call light. I will shut that nonsense down," wrote user u/Cassie_Bowden in response. Another commenter, u/New-Reference-2171, agreed: "I came to say this—ring your call button." Others were baffled by the woman's decision to conduct an audible, on-camera meeting mid-flight. "I truly don't know how all of you stand the entitled people who do this," wrote u/vampyire. User u/rando435697 added: "That's incredibly bizarre behavior by me, I've joined meetings in flight, however, I've shared in advance with my team that I was going to be on a flight, I'd be off camera and listening in only. Being active and potentially giving away sensitive information—not to mention disturbing other passengers, is just unhinged and wildly inappropriate." Newsweek has contacted Delta Air Lines for comment via email. Do you have a travel-related story to share? Let us know via life@ and your story could be featured on Newsweek.
Tom's Guide
37 minutes ago
- Tom's Guide
Can you trust age verification agencies with your data?
Since the Online Safety Act (OSA) went into force in the UK on July 25, 2025, experts have expressed a range of concerns about the security implications of the law. The act requires social media platforms and sites that host adult material to confirm the age of users before they are able to access content that may be unsuitable for under-18s. Many sites and platforms have partnered with specialist third-party agencies that handle the processing of personal information provided by users to confirm their ages. The best VPNs have seen a huge spike in sign ups in the UK as people attempt to bypass age verification checks. Many users are worried about the possibility of their information being stored, shared, or used for purposes such as AI training. Given the sensitivity of this information, which can include ID scans, email addresses, phone numbers, and identifying photographs, it's a reasonable concern. This is compounded by the act's stipulation that checks should be "accurate, robust, reliable and fair," but without specifying that data should be stored securely. So, it's up to the third parties employed by these platforms to handle your sensitive data appropriately. Here's what some of the leading age verification agencies say about how they handle user data. Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips. Yoti provides identity and age verification services and offers a digital ID platform. It can check ages via facial age estimation, ID verification, credit card checks, database checks, email age estimation, and mobile phone provider checks. In its privacy policy, Yoti states, "For most age-checking methods, the data is deleted as soon as the check is complete." This applies to images and credit card information, among other details. The only information supplied to Yoti's client is either your age in years or whether you are above the client's age requirement threshold. Where a third-party provider is involved in the process, however, they can retain the information for considerably longer. In the case of mobile provider checks, they may retain a record for up to two years. In addition, the client can extend the time given to Yoti to run checks to up to 28 days, during which the firm will retain your information. Yoti will also retain data when it is required to by law enforcement agencies and regulatory bodies. In terms of security, the provider has SOC 2, ISO 9001:2015, and ISO/IEC 27001:2022 accreditation, certifying that it has robust security systems and that it meets international standards for data security management. All age verification checks are processed within the UK or in US, EU, or UK AWS regions meaning that they fall under GDPR. Persona offers age verification, identity confirmation, and Know Your Customer (KYC) and Know Your Business (KYB) services. It runs checks via selfie age estimation, ID scans, and database checks. The company doesn't have a distinct privacy policy for its age verification service, unfortunately. In addition, Persona's standard privacy policy doesn't give specific details on how long user data is kept, noting that information may be retained for purposes such as dispute resolution. However, Persona does note that it will delete facial geometry scan data either "upon completion of verification or within three years of your last interaction with Persona [depending on the customer's instructions]." The policy includes a long list of third parties that may receive your personal data (including IT services providers, email communication and SMS software providers, ID verification services, mobile device operators, background check providers, consumer reporting services, fraud and identity management providers, and law enforcement). In addition, Persona automatically collects user information, including identifiers and device information, geolocation data, and usage data. The privacy policy also effectively states that your data could be processed in any country in the world. On a positive note, the service is SOC 2 and ISO 27001 certified, testifying to its security credentials. Au10tix (pronounced "authentics") is an identity verification specialist offering KYC, reusable ID, and selfie verification services. It checks the age of users with ID verification, incorporating liveness detection and ongoing authentication. Like Persona, Au10tix doesn't specify how long user data is kept in its privacy policy and notes that it will retain biometric data until the verification process is complete or until three years after the last interaction between the user and Au10tix's customer (when it will remove the information if it is specifically notified), whichever comes first. On the bright side, Au10tix states, "We do not sell, rent, or lease personal data." However, it will share personal data with third party service providers, law enforcement agencies, and others to comply with court orders and warrants. In addition, it will 'keep aggregated non-identifiable information without limitation'. When it comes to security, Au10tix uses SHA-2 and RSA 2048-key encryption and TLS/SSL connections for data in transit. The firm is ISO/IEC 27001:2013 certified, and all data is stored and processed in the EU, the US, the UK, and Israel, whether being handled by Au10tix or third parties. Stripe is a financial services company that offers payment and money management solutions for businesses as well as identity verification functionality. It can scan government IDs from 100+ countries, check information against databases, and use biometrics to confirm the validity of your ID. Stripe states that it "retains biometric data for one year and non-biometric data [including images, IP addresses, and data from your ID documents] for three years, with options for users to opt-out or request deletion of their data." Surprisingly, Stripe's customers can also access all the information that you've submitted, and they can grant permission to others to access your information via the platform. In addition, Stripe may provide access to third parties to assist with identity verification. When handling personal information, Stripe conveys data via TLS-encrypted connections, and it's encrypted with AES-256 while in storage. As a firm handling billions of dollars of payments each year, the company runs annual SOC 1 and SOC 2 Type II auditing, is SOC 3 accredited, and has a range of security certifications specific to the financial services sector. All data processing and storage occurs in the United States. Identity verification firm Incode provides age confirmation with facial age estimation, database checks, and ID validation. In Incode's privacy policy, it states that, as per GDPR, it will only process personal data where it has a legal basis for doing so. However, it doesn't specify any set term limits for the deletion of data. When it comes to biometric data, Incode states that it will retain the information until it has been used or until three years after your last interaction with the customer, whichever comes first. Incode commits not to share opt-in consent or phone numbers, but it may otherwise share personal data with service providers, analytics partners, business partners, law enforcement agencies, courts, and regulatory agencies. The firm is SOC 2 Type II and ISO 30107-3 compliant and has a newly launched vulnerability disclosure program meaning it will let users know if and when security issues are found and dealt with. Data processing occurs in the US and, slightly concerningly, in other unnamed countries. In theory, using a third-party firm that specialises in handling sensitive data means that the information should be handled securely and that it shouldn't be shared with the site or service requesting the verification. While the firms covered here generally have a solid set of security credentials, they will share your data with a variety of third-party service providers and may retain your information for years (or forever in some cases). In addition, while you might expect age verification firms to provide a discreet service, some providers will share your details with their customers and nearly all will generate a considerable paper trail. We test and review VPN services in the context of legal recreational uses. For example: 1. Accessing a service from another country (subject to the terms and conditions of that service). 2. Protecting your online security and strengthening your online privacy when abroad. We do not support or condone the illegal or malicious use of VPN services. Consuming pirated content that is paid-for is neither endorsed nor approved by Future Publishing.
