It’s rarely a good idea to hand your identity document over to a website, but that’s just what Reddit users in the UK will have to do to view “certain mature content”. The company announced that, as a result of the UK Online Safety Act, it would be checking the identification of its UK-based users via either a selfie or a government-issued identity document.
The company is quick to point out that it won’t be using that identification method to find out who its users are — just how old they are. The process will be handled externally, by a company called Persona, which hasn’t made the same promise. Since its whole business revolves around certifying customers for other platforms, it’s probably not retaining identity info for later sales purposes. Right?
Old enough to Reddit
As it happens, Reddit hands out a second-hand promise on Persona’s behalf. The company explains, “Persona promises not to retain the photo for longer than 7 days and will not have access to your Reddit data such as the subreddits you visit. Your birthdate is never visible to other users or advertisers, and is used to support safety features and age-appropriate experiences on Reddit.”
That doesn’t mean that user details are perfectly safe. They’re just supposed to be safe in this particular transaction, though it’s not specified what will happen to the photos uploaded to Persona in the seven days it has to retain them. We want to think it’ll be fine, but there’s always the possibility…
It’s also unknown what Reddit will do about underage users attempting to game the system. Uploading selfies or ID documents can be faked in several ways, from using ageing apps to stealing mom’s, dad’s, or an older sibling’s ID. Any reasonably determined teenager can sidestep these new Reddit requirements with relative ease. The blame doesn’t fall on the Fake Internet Points Factory™, however. That’s just the requirement demanded by the UK government right now.
The door is open for similar age-based verification in other places around the world, but it will only be implemented if the law demands it. Or, presumably, if Reddit can find a way to monetise it.
The company wrote, “As laws change, we may need to collect and/or verify age in places other than the UK. Accordingly, we are also introducing globally an option for you to provide your birthdate to optimize your…experience, for example to help ensure that content and ads are age-appropriate. This is optional, and you won’t be required to provide it unless you live in a place (like the UK) where we are required to ask for it. And, again, your birthdate is never visible to other users or advertisers. “
