Strict age limit enforcement is expanding globally and it is gradually becoming part of operating systems. Apple began requiring age verification from all iPhone users in Britain earlier this year, and the practice has now expanded to two new countries: Singapore and South Korea.
The age must be genuinely verified, meaning simply faking the birth date is not enough - nor is the good old adult entertainment sites' "are you an adult?" query.
In Britain, a nationwide digital method to verify age is not widely used yet, the age can be verified in several different ways. If an Apple user account has existed for at least 18 years, no special tricks are needed when setting up a new iPhone.
But if the user account is not old enough, user's age must be proven by other means. These methods include entering a credit card issued in Britain during phone setup (a minor cannot obtain a credit card acting as a 'main card' in Britain) or some method of age verification according to the recently introduced PASS scheme. The last option offered is scanning and sending a passport or driving license to Apple for verification.
In Singapore, age is verified by scanning one of the accepted identity documents or using a credit card. In South Korea, the verification is simpler, as phone numbers there are directly linked to information about the age of the subscriber, meaning operators handle the verification through the phone number connected to the iPhone.
If the user is under 18yo, the iPhone's browser content filtering is automatically turned on and cannot be switched off. Similarly, only apps suitable for minors can be downloaded from the App Store, making it impossible to install, for example, dating apps.
In Britain, a nationwide digital method to verify age is not widely used yet, the age can be verified in several different ways. If an Apple user account has existed for at least 18 years, no special tricks are needed when setting up a new iPhone.
But if the user account is not old enough, user's age must be proven by other means. These methods include entering a credit card issued in Britain during phone setup (a minor cannot obtain a credit card acting as a 'main card' in Britain) or some method of age verification according to the recently introduced PASS scheme. The last option offered is scanning and sending a passport or driving license to Apple for verification.
In Singapore, age is verified by scanning one of the accepted identity documents or using a credit card. In South Korea, the verification is simpler, as phone numbers there are directly linked to information about the age of the subscriber, meaning operators handle the verification through the phone number connected to the iPhone.
If the user is under 18yo, the iPhone's browser content filtering is automatically turned on and cannot be switched off. Similarly, only apps suitable for minors can be downloaded from the App Store, making it impossible to install, for example, dating apps.
