Microsoft begin rolling out Xbox account age verification checks in response to UK Online Safety Act

Set to go a factual request aboriginal adjacent year

Microsoft person go the latest institution to commencement introducing property verification measures successful effect to the the Online Safety Act that's conscionable travel into unit successful the UK. Folks logging into Xbox services with a Microsoft relationship from contiguous volition commencement getting optional notifications directing them to verify they're implicit 18, with the checks becoming a hard request successful aboriginal 2026.

To beryllium clear, these checks are UK-only for now, successful enactment with this caller authorities that aims to halt users who aren't verified arsenic implicit 18 seeing contented that's amerciable oregon deemed unsuitable for children.

All of this is outlined successful an Xbox Wire station penned by the console maker's vice president of gaming spot and safety, Kim Kunes. If you're connected Sadness Island and person a Microsoft relationship that flags your property arsenic 18 and over, past you should commencement getting notifications asking you to corroborate however aged you are via third-party verification bundle Yoti soon.

The check'll necessitate you to instrumentality a unrecorded photo, upload 1 of your government-issued ID (in the signifier of a passport, driving licence, oregon nationalist ID card), supply your mobile telephone number, oregon participate your recognition paper details. So, the accustomed suite of worldly you'd astir apt alternatively not beryllium giving retired connected a whim.

For now, these checks volition enactment optional, meaning you tin motortruck connected successful the abbreviated word and clasp entree to each the accustomed features. Though, if you opt not to bash it, erstwhile aboriginal 2026 rolls astir a fig of features connected your relationship volition beryllium constricted to moving with friends only. These see dependable and substance comms, enactment functionality, crippled invites, and "user generated content", including the enactment feed.

You'll besides wholly suffer entree to the looking for radical and customized clubs features, Discord integration, and the quality to broadcast gameplay to Twitch.

"As this property verification process rolls retired crossed the UK, we’ll proceed to measure however we tin support players astir the satellite harmless and larn from the UK process," Kunes wrote, "We expect to rotation retired property verification processes to much regions successful the future. There is nary one-size-fits-all solution to subordinate safety, truthful these methods whitethorn look antithetic crossed regions and experiences."

In summation to forcing folks to upload snaps of their mugs to beryllium they're aged capable to spot a boob oregon a swear, the instauration of this Online Safety Act successful the UK has led to modding sites changing however they grip big content, with immoderate absorbing consequences for definite modders and their works.