Regulation
Articles
Nov 26, 2024
Navigating Australia’s online safety laws
As the digital landscape continues to evolve, regulators are prioritising online safety. Countries around the world are introducing new legislation that aims to protect people online and create safer, age-appropriate experiences. What’s the current state of online safety legislation in Australia? As the internet has become a central part of daily life, Australia’s approach to online safety has evolved over time. Online safety laws were initially more reactive, focused on specific issues such as cyberbullying and child exploitation. However, over the past decade, legislation has become more comprehensive. New laws aim to prevent harm and promote a safer
Articles
Nov 21, 2024
Yoti responds to the Draft Statement of Strategic Priorities for online safety
This week, Peter Kyle, Secretary of State for the Department of Science, Innovation and Technology, published a letter of proposed strategic priorities for online safety. We welcome the draft statement, which highlights the five areas the government believes should be prioritised for creating a safer online environment. These areas are: safety by design, transparency and accountability, agile regulation, inclusivity and resilience, and technology and innovation. Peter Kyle also made a strong statement that when the Online Safety Act comes into force, Ofcom will have his full support and will expect them to be assertive. He said, “The powers that
Articles
Nov 14, 2024
Understanding age assurance in the UK’s Tobacco and Vapes Bill
In a significant move towards tightening regulations on tobacco and vaping products, the UK has introduced the Tobacco and Vapes Bill. Originally introduced by the previous Conservative government, the Bill has now been reintroduced by the new Labour government, signalling bipartisan support. The Bill aims to create a “smoke-free generation” by gradually raising the age of sale for tobacco and vaping products every year until they are completely phased out across the UK. What is the main aim of the Tobacco and Vapes Bill? The Tobacco and Vapes Bill seeks to tighten the regulatory framework around tobacco and
Articles
Oct 24, 2024
Understanding the UK’s new Data Bill
The Data (Use and Access) Bill, known more simply as the “Data Bill”, is a landmark piece of UK legislation that aims to reshape how individuals and businesses interact with digital data. It will introduce provisions for a national digital identity trust framework, helping to foster trust in digital identities by ensuring that businesses adhere to strict standards during digital transactions. This blog gives an overview of the Data Bill and what this means for digital identities in the UK. Why has the Government introduced the Data Bill? The Government has said that the Bill will “unlock the
Articles
Oct 18, 2024
French regulator Arcom introduces age checks for online adult content
This month, Arcom, the French regulator responsible for online porn, has announced the date platforms will need to introduce age checks. From 11th January 2025, adult operators and platforms with pornographic content will need to check the age of users, ensuring only adults can access the content. There will be a three month transitional period, where temporary methods like bank card verification can be used as a preliminary age filter, but they must include strong authentication to ensure that the user is the cardholder. After the transitional period ends on 11 April 2025, adult site operators will need to
Articles
Oct 17, 2024
Understanding age assurance in the Online Safety Act
The Online Safety Act 2023 is a piece of UK legislation that aims to protect children and adults online. It covers a wide range of issues including minimising the risk of children seeing harmful and age-inappropriate content, removing illegal content like child sexual abuse material (CSAM), criminalising fraudulent and scam ads, and introducing age verification for certain online services. This blog looks at some of the age requirements in the Online Safety Act and what this means for tech companies, adult sites, gaming companies, social media platforms and dating sites. What is the purpose of the Online Safety