Wishy-washy age verification system puts X in the spotlight

With the United Kingdom’s new strict digital age check system entering force last week, X’s age verification system – or lack of, actually – is now under intense scrutiny.

An increasing number of countries, including the UK, Ireland, and some EU member states, are enforcing strict age verification laws targeting platforms that host adult content or other potentially harmful media.

X has been one of the few large sites that allow explicit content, even pornography. That’s obviously why the platform, owned by Elon Musk since late 2022, has become a key target of new online safety regulations, aimed at protecting minors.

The platform has now moved to implement new age verification measures in a bid to comply with Irish, UK, and EU regulations. Today, users in these areas are being asked to verify their age to access sensitive content.

The problem, though, is that the updated process is not actually a direct verification system: X is instead taking a “multi-step age assurance approach.”

Critics say this means that age checks aren’t really functional on the platform, notorious for its lax approach to any kind of content moderation. Users are already flocking to VPN apps.

Late to the party

The multi-step approach includes age assurance using existing signals such as previous age verification, legacy verified accounts, and account creation dates.

“Where these signals exist, we will use them to designate whether that user is 18 or under, without requiring further action from them. No further steps are needed to confirm the user’s age,” X explains on its Help Center.

If there are no such signals, X looks at things like user email addresses and social connections to estimate user age. Again, users don’t have to do anything because these methods rely on information that X already has access to.

Regulators and users are concerned about precisely this type of passive approach. While platforms such as OnlyFans or Reddit already use biometric scans, AI-powered selfies, and verified ID uploads, X is (typically) late to the party.

Right now, X accounts that don’t have any of the aforementioned signals in place are locked out of accessing certain content.

To be fair, journalists have checked whether the controls work and say that extreme violence and hardcore pornography remain available on X. But many NSFW creators who rely on X to promote their content say their business model is massively suffering.

While platforms such as OnlyFans or Reddit already use biometric scans, AI-powered selfies, and verified ID uploads, X is (typically) late to the party.

The EU, UK, and Ireland are already preparing fines for platforms that fail to comply with their respective online safety laws. For X, this could amount to millions of dollars unless the company rolls out an effective age verification system.

Additional steps planned

Musk, owner of X, is furious. Already last week, the billionaire who calls himself a free speech absolutist said the UK's online safety laws amount to “suppression of the people.” He also seems to support a petition to repeal the law.

It’s purpose is suppression of the people https://t.co/6rblxsGFis

undefined Elon Musk (@elonmusk) July 26, 2025

But it’s not like there’s no movement at all. X itself says it will “soon” roll out the ID and facial scanner-based checkers, calling them “user involved verification options” that will give account holders a choice between “two secure, privacy-respecting options.”

Users will be able to submit a government-issued ID. Those who aren’t comfortable with uploading personal documents onto a private platform will be able to upload a live selfie, which will be used to estimate their age by AI-powered facial recognition.

“If a user is determined to be under 18, they will be defaulted into sensitive media settings, and will not be able to access sensitive media,” X said.

“Until we are able to determine if a user is 18 or over, they may be defaulted into sensitive media settings, and may not be able to access sensitive media.”

Last week, The Times also said that X is planning to block under-18s from seeing pornography by looking at their email address and contacts book. That’s problematic to some, to say the least.

“In other words, it will start actively documenting all of this information about everyone who looks at porn on the platform. Surely we trust them not to misuse that information,” one Reddit user said.

“It's not like Elon Musk has a history of manipulating public opinion to get what he wants.”