Bluesky to roll out age verification for U.K. users ahead of Online Safety Act deadline

07/18/2025 / By Laura Harris

Social media platform Bluesky will soon require U.K. users to verify their age using Epic Games’ Kid Web Services (KWS), in compliance with the U.K.’s Online Safety Act taking effect on July 25.
Users can choose between facial scanning, uploading a government-issued ID or credit card authentication to confirm their age.
Those under 18 or who decline to verify will face limitations, including blocked access to adult content and loss of direct messaging features.
Bluesky has published blog updates, screenshots and app interface previews to help users understand the upcoming changes and verification process.
While the Online Safety Act aims to protect minors, critics warn it endangers privacy and may force platforms to compromise end-to-end encryption by scanning private messages, sparking concern among rights groups and tech companies.

Social media platform Bluesky has announced plans to implement age checks for users in the U.K. in preparation for new regulatory requirements under the controversial Online Safety Act, which is set to take effect on July 25.

In a blog post titled “Working with the U.K. Government to Protect Children Online” published on July 10, Bluesky disclosed that U.K.-based users will soon be prompted to verify their age through a system powered by Kid Web Services (KWS), a tool developed by Epic Games to help digital platforms manage age verification and parental controls. Bluesky said users will be able to choose from several verification methods, including facial scanning, government-issued ID upload or credit card authentication.

While users under 18 or those who choose not to verify their age will not be banned from the platform, they will face significant restrictions. These include blocked access to adult-oriented content and the removal of features such as direct messaging. (Related: U.K.’s digital ID push exploits immigration crisis, critics warn.)

Bluesky has begun preparing users for the changes by sharing screenshots and documentation of the verification process on their blog. The first step involves registering an email address with KWS, after which users will receive instructions to complete the age check. Bluesky also shared screenshots of its iOS app interface, showing prompts for verification and tools for reporting unwanted content.

The changes, which will go live later this July, are designed to reduce the risk of children being exposed to harmful content online – a key requirement of the Online Safety Act, parts of which begin enforcement on July 25. Users will receive in-app notifications once the update rolls out, along with instructions on how to complete age verification.

U.K. Online Safety Act sparks uproar over privacy risks and encryption backdoors

Passed in 2023, the Online Safety Act aims to make the internet “safer” by requiring platforms to shield users, particularly minors, from harmful content.

A core provision of the act, set to take effect this July, mandates that platforms hosting potentially harmful content deploy robust age verification systems. Companies that fail to comply could face steep fines up to £18 million ($24.3 million) or 10 percent of their global revenue, whichever is greater.

However, the legislation has drawn sharp criticism from digital rights groups, who argued that the law undermines privacy and could lead to a chilling effect on free expression. At the heart of the backlash lies the perceived threat to end-to-end encryption (E2EE), which campaigners say could effectively create government-mandated “backdoors” into private messages.

Critics argued that the sweeping powers it grants to the communications regulator, Ofcom, come at the expense of fundamental digital privacy.

Under Section 122 of the Act, Ofcom is now authorized to compel tech companies to scan user content for child sexual abuse material (CSAM) or terrorism-related content. Companies that fail to comply risk fines of up to £18 million ($24 million) or 10 percent of their global turnover. Privacy groups and security experts warn that the only way to scan such content would be to undermine E2EE protections.

“This grab bag of half-baked fantasy solutions to misunderstood (or misrepresented) problems has received Royal Assent, including powers to break encryption in messaging apps and censor content before it’s even posted,” Open Rights Group wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter.

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