Spotify’s New Age Checks Spark Backlash in the UK

Source: Cheng Xin / Getty

Spotify’s New Age Checks Spark Backlash in the UK

Spotify is catching heat from users across the UK after quietly rolling out face-scanning age verification checks.

The move comes as part of compliance with the UK’s new Online Safety Act, which now requires platforms to verify users’ ages before granting access to mature or adult content.

The law officially took effect on July 25, pushing companies like Xbox, Discord, Reddit—and now Spotify—to introduce stricter age verification protocols.

But Spotify’s rollout hasn’t gone smoothly.

Many adult users report being prompted to scan their face or provide ID, even though the company claimed the checks would primarily target users suspected of being under 13.

The backlash has been swift.

Across social media, frustrated fans are voicing privacy concerns, with some even threatening to return to piracy as a protest against what they see as invasive surveillance.

Spotify hasn’t released detailed guidance yet on how these age checks are triggered or how long the verification process takes, but the update raises broader questions about digital privacy and how tech companies are balancing safety with user experience.