Age Verification Trade Group Weighs In on UK Consultation

Age Verification Trade Group Weighs In on UK Consultation

LONDON — The Age Verification Providers Association (AVPA) filed earlier this month its response to U.K. media regulator Ofcom's consultation soliciting feedback on the regulation of adult websites under Part 5 of the Online Safety Act.

“We were broadly supportive of their approach, but there is one major omission, the definition of ‘highly effective age assurance,’” the U.K.-based trade group explained through a statement.

Based on the work of experts developing international standards for the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers and the International Organization for Standardization, AVPA’s response proposed that “highly effective age assurance systems must demonstrate that their certified expected outcomes are such that more than 95% of children under 18 are prevented from accessing primary priority content, and more than 99% of children under 16 are prevented.”

The group expressed concern that without expressing any opinion on the maximum acceptable false positive rate, “there will be a race to the bottom as sites which host primary priority content interpret the requirement as loosely as possible.”

AVPA questioned how Ofcom could potentially defend in court having acted against a site that “has deployed a solution which allows for up to 20% false positives, with perhaps 10% of them being more than 5 years below the age of 18, if the service provider has documented that that it considers this level of accuracy to be highly effective.”

Ofcom, the group stated, may argue that 20% is too great a level of error, “but would at that stage be forced to state what level is deemed sufficiently effective anyway.”

Copyright © 2025 Adnet Media. All Rights Reserved. XBIZ is a trademark of Adnet Media.
Reproduction in whole or in part in any form or medium without express written permission is prohibited.

More News

Adult Industry Educational, Networking Platform 'Imperfectly You' Launches

Imperfectly You, an educational and networking platform for adult industry workers, has officially launched.

Segpay to Launch News Network for High-Risk Merchants

Segpay has announced that it will launch the Segpay News Network (SNN) on April 15.

Age Verification Watch: Patching the Holes

This roundup provides an update on the latest news and developments on the age verification front as it impacts the adult industry.

Pineapple Support to Host Autism Spectrum Support Group

Pineapple Support is hosting a free online support group for performers and creators who are, or suspect they may be, on the autism spectrum.

ImLive Launches Revamped Member Loyalty Program

Cam platform ImLive has revamped its member loyalty program.

GoFundMe Set Up for Danny Ferretti's Medical Expenses

A GoFundMe campaign has been set up for Fangear founder Danny Ferretti, who requires extensive lung surgery.

Byborg Acquires Cuties AI

Byborg Enterprises has acquired adult artificial intelligence startup Cuties AI.

Irish Government Releases Report on Sex Work Decriminalization Legislation

The Irish government has released a report reviewing a 2017 law that decriminalized sex work across the country.

Texas Bill Would Require Age Verification for Online Sex Toy Sales

A new bill in the Texas state legislature would require online retailers to implement age verification of purchasers before selling “obscene devices” to anyone in that state.

New York Assemblyman Proposes Banning the Term 'Sex Work'

Republican New York Assembly Member Brian Maher has introduced a bill to prohibit the use of the term "sex work" in government documents.

Show More