Reddit has implemented mandatory age verification for UK users to comply with the country’s Online Safety Act, which took effect in July 2025. The legislation requires digital platforms to prevent minors from accessing unsafe content, particularly mature or adult material, following Ofcom’s broader push for stricter online age verification across digital platforms.
The platform’s verification system requires UK users to submit either a government-issued ID, such as a passport, or a selfie through Persona, a third-party identity verification company. The approach follows successful implementations by other platforms, including Discord’s recent rollout of facial scan and ID verification in the UK. Persona handles the sensitive data to maintain user privacy, storing uploaded photos or IDs for a maximum of seven days without sharing the information with Reddit.
Reddit retains only the user’s verification status and birthdate, eliminating the need for repeated verification when accessing restricted content. Persona has confirmed it does not access Reddit user data, including subreddit activity. The privacy-focused approach matches emerging standards in digital identity verification, consistent with the principles established by the FIDO Alliance’s certification program for face-based remote identity verification.
