Ofcom is now investigating whether four companies that collectively run 34 pornography sites are complying with new Online Safety Act (OSA) rules that require them to have “highly effective age checks” in place — the same rules that are widely restricting parts of the internet across the UK. Other OSA investigations were already underway, but these are the first to fall under the age verification requirements.
The search giant has followed OpenAI in signing the EU’s voluntary AI code of practice, after Meta snubbed the agreement over “legal uncertainties.” Google also has its complaints despite signing, saying in a statement:
“We remain concerned that the AI Act and Code risk slowing Europe’s development and deployment of AI. In particular, departures from EU copyright law, steps that slow approvals, or requirements that expose trade secrets could chill European model development and deployment.”
[blog.google]
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Online Safety Act rules are now in effect that require online platforms to have “strong age checks” in place to prevent children from accessing pornographic materials and other “harmful content.” Bluesky, Reddit, and Discord, for example, have all introduced age verification tools that require users to upload a selfie or a picture of their government ID.
A federal appeals court granted the Trump administration an emergency stay blocking Federal Trade Commissioner Rebecca Kelly Slaughter from returning to work. The lower court had called President Donald Trump’s decision to fire her “unlawful,” and reinstated her. Slaughter says the public will remain in the dark on FTC decisions in her absence. “Right now, the FTC isn’t doing the job it should be to protect consumers and competition, and Americans deserve to know why.”
