Let me see some ID: age verification is spreading across the internet
The Verge
February 24, 2026
AI-Generated Deep Dive Summary
Age verification is rapidly becoming a standard feature on major social media platforms, with many now requiring users to provide identification or undergo facial scans to access content fully. This shift is driven by growing calls for stronger child safety measures online, though it has sparked concerns about privacy, security, and potential censorship. In the U.S., lawmakers are pushing bills like the App Store Accountability Act and Parents Over Platforms Act, which aim to hold app stores accountable for verifying users' ages. Meanwhile, platforms like Discord have faced backlash over their age verification plans, with some delaying rollouts or implementing AI tools to flag underage accounts before requiring ID checks. Other platforms, including ChatGPT and Google, are using advanced algorithms to identify and restrict access for suspected underage users.
The push for age verification is also being influenced by new laws at the state and federal levels. For example, Utah recently became the first state to pass an app store age verification bill, while Texas saw its law blocked by a judge. Globally, platforms like Roblox now require facial scans or government-issued IDs for unrestricted chatting, and Steam users in the UK must provide credit card information to access mature content games. The
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Originally published on The Verge on 2/24/2026