Sony Starts Age Verification Checks on PlayStation in UK and Ireland

Sony Interactive Entertainment has begun requesting users in the UK and Ireland to verify their age as part of its effort to create safer, age-appropriate experiences. In an email seen by IGN, Sony explained that, to comply with global regulations, UK players will need to verify their age later this year to continue using communication features on PlayStation. This means players can still play games, earn trophies, and visit the PlayStation Store, but unverified users won’t access messaging or voice chat.

Verification options include facial scans, ID, or mobile numbers, depending on the country or region. Some users, however, reported issues like server timeouts when trying to verify via mobile. While Sony said verification isn’t mandatory until an unspecified date later this year, some PS5 users have already received prompts to verify their age when attempting to use social features.

This requirement stems from the UK Online Safety Act, which came into effect last summer. The regulation affects any service allowing communication or interaction, including Steam, Xbox, Discord, Nintendo, and others. Although the US isn’t affected yet, Discord announced plans for global age restrictions after initial rollouts in the UK and Australia. The community expressed concerns over privacy and data security, especially after past issues with verification vendors.

Vikki Blake, a seasoned journalist with over 15 years in gaming media, highlights that these measures aim to protect users, though they raise questions about privacy and data handling. The rollout in the UK and Ireland marks an important step in regulating digital gaming and communication platforms across Europe.