Ivy Maddox has collaborated with Verifymy to raise awareness regarding new age verification rules scheduled to take effect in the U.K. on July 25. The initiative centers on a 26-minute video featuring Maddox reading the Online Safety Act.

New UK Age Verification Rules Imminent

New age verification rules are set to be implemented in the U.K. on July 25. These regulations are part of the Online Safety Act, which was created to protect both children and adults. Government body Ofcom has established this deadline for various online services to implement age assurance technology.

The new rules mandate that pornographic websites, search engines, and user-to-user platforms, such as social media, dating, or online video gaming platforms, must implement "highly effective age assurance technology." This technology is intended to safeguard children from encountering X-rated material online. The Online Safety Act places a range of duties on online services, making them more responsible for their users, with a particular focus on child safety.

A study conducted by the Children’s Commissioner for England found that children first encounter online pornography by the age of 13 on average. The study also indicated that one in 10 children encounter online pornography as young as nine years old.

Ivy Maddox and Verifymy Campaign

Ivy Maddox has teamed up with Verifymy to spread awareness of these new rules. The campaign features a 26-minute video posted on Verifymy’s website. In the video, Maddox reads the Online Safety Act, which outlines the new safety regulations issued by Ofcom.

Maddox described the importance of the campaign and the Online Safety Act. She stated that she was first exposed to porn at school when she did not want to see it. Maddox expressed her aversion to the thought of children seeing her content in the same way. She noted that the Online Safety Act can help prevent this from happening. Maddox also commented that the Act is not an easy read, and the film is her way of bringing it to life and raising awareness of rules that will have a significant impact on her industry and beyond.

The project, titled Coming Soon…, shows Maddox wearing a lace bodysuit while sitting on the edge of a hotel bed with a hard copy of the Act beside her. The film is described as "suitable-for-work."

Lina Ghazal, head of regulatory and public affairs at Verifymy, also commented on the effort. Ghazal stated that delaying action on safeguarding can leave both users and platforms exposed. Ghazal added that this is a real chance for the sector to come together to protect children online and ensure a safer environment.

Impact on Online Services

The new changes mean that online services can no longer simply verify a user’s age with a quick "check this box to say you’re over 18" method. Instead, "mandatory age-checks" will need to be implemented by these services. Ofcom has set a hard deadline of July 25 for age assurance technology to be put in place to safeguard underage individuals from seeing X-rated content online. Services are required to implement measures to reduce risks, including tighter age verification and content filtering.

Key Facts

  • New UK age verification rules take effect on July 25.
  • The rules are part of the Online Safety Act.
  • Ivy Maddox and Verifymy are collaborating to raise awareness.
  • A 26-minute video features Maddox reading the Online Safety Act.
  • Ofcom set the deadline for implementing age assurance technology.
  • The regulations target pornographic websites, search engines, and user-to-user platforms.