I've just been confronted by a message on YouTube.
"Take a few minutes to verify your age
Please provide more info so we can make sure you're old enough to view this video"
"If you are in Australia, the European Union (EU), European Economic Area (EEA), Switzerland, or the United Kingdom, you may be asked to verify your age to watch age-restricted videos.
If you’re in the EU, EEA, Switzerland, or the United Kingdom
In line with the Audiovisual Media Services Directive (AVMSD), you may be asked to verify your date of birth to watch age-restricted videos. AVMSD covers all audiovisual media, including video sharing platforms.
Follow the prompts to submit an image of a valid ID or credit card. Learn more about how age verification works.
If you’re in Australia
You may be asked to verify your date of birth to watch age-restricted videos. This added step is informed by the Australian Online Safety (Restricted Access Systems) Declaration. The declaration requires platforms to take reasonable steps to confirm users are adults in order to access content that is potentially inappropriate for viewers under 18.
Follow the prompts to submit an image of a valid driver’s license, Proof of Age card, or passport. Learn more about how age verification works."
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"The Act....... obliges large social media platforms not to remove, and to preserve access to, journalistic or "democratically important" content such as user comments on political parties and issues."
"The Daily Telegraph reported in July 2025 that Wikipedia may restrict access for UK users if the government insists on full compliance. Observers note that such an outcome would be unprecedented in a liberal democracy and could set a damaging global precedent for restricting access to open knowledge."
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Online_Safety_Act_2023