Lucrezia Ciotti From today Italy changes the rules for the sites prohibited to minorsAccess to portals restricted to minors will require age verification. The procedure does not require SPID, but rather certified third-party platforms that confirm adulthood without revealing personal data, introducing so-called "double anonymity" and marking a turning point for the online adult content sector.
No SPID for adult websites: the European framework and the future of age verification in Italy.
La regulations The Italian version fits into a European and international context of growing attention to the protection of minors online. UK e France They have already experimented with similar systems: the so-called British Online Safety Act, in force since last July, requires portals to carry out rigorous age checks, while in France, since February, platforms have been required to request proof of age via document or photo.
These measures have reduced access to adult content, although they have also pushed many users to use VPNs or other methods to bypass the blocks.
In Italy, sites subject to the obligation must rely on certified third-party operators for age verificationThe system does not use SPID or electronic identity card, but dedicated apps or private platforms such as yoti, which ensure privacy and data minimization. Users must take an additional step: scanning a QR code, downloading the app, or using alternative methods such as facial recognition using artificial intelligence. As Yoti points out, "AI will examine the image to make an accurate estimate”, confirming that you are of legal age without storing personal data.
Those who choose not to conform risk fines of up to 250 thousand euros or blackout.
Sites prohibited to minors and mandatory age verification: why so few have complied
The new regulations were supposed to come into force today, November 12th. standards For age verification on sites with adult content, with the stated goal of limiting access to minors. However, the conditional is mandatory: of the 48 portals involved, reported in the list published by AGCOM on 31 October, only three would have actually activated the system age control, while one would have chosen to temporarily suspend activity in Italy pending clarification.
Among the sites that have complied with the legislation, as reported by Mediaset Tgcom24, they appear OnlyFans e Chaturbate, platforms where users can enjoy personalized content and private chats. OnlyFans, for example, has relied on Yoti, defined as a "secure and encrypted solution”, while Chaturbate has implemented a similar system. Bang!, another adult portal, would have instead preferred to voluntarily suspend access to our country, stressing that Italy “has implemented one of the most rigorous age verification systems in the European Union" is that "Rather than compromise users' privacy, the site has chosen to limit access until it fully complies with AGCOM requirements.”.
The implementation of age verification systems on a national scale still seems a long way off, and it will be necessary to wait for the completion of the certified national app, developed by AGCOM in collaboration with PagoPA and the State Mint, expected by the end of the year.