Anyone with an iPhone in UK faces having to pass new ‘check’ from Apple

UK iPhone users face an over-18 age check to use the model’s services after a update. Millions of Apple iPhone customers in the UK will now have to confirm they are 18 or older to use all available services.

Users will be forced to prove their identity by showing a credit card or by scanning an ID. Ofcom, the online regulator, called it “a real win for children and families” and said it was part of a wider drive to “keep young people away from harmful content”.

But not everbody was happy with the move. One on Reddit said: “Myself and everyone I know (wife, friends, family, colleagues, etc) are doing everything to bypass these overreaching age checks.

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“I want to have a choice on each occasion to skip or cancel if asked to prove my age.” Apple said in an online post announcing the change: “Adults will have to confirm that they’re 18 or older to use certain services or features, or take certain actions on their account.

“You can confirm your age with a credit card or by scanning an ID. If you already have an account, Apple will check if you have a payment method on file or other eligible methods available to confirm that you’re 18 or older.”

It comes as an Ofcom spokesman said: “Apple’s decision that the UK will be one of the first countries in the world to receive new child safety protections on devices is a real win for children and families.

“Our rules are flexible and designed to encourage innovation, particularly in age assurance. We’ve worked closely with Apple and other services to ensure they can be applied in a variety of contexts in order to ensure users are protected.

“This will build on the strong foundations of the Online Safety Act, from widespread age checks that keep young people away from harmful content, to blocking high-risk sites and stepping up action against child sexual abuse material.”