In the modern landscape of liberal democracy, listeners face a new expense: submitting biometric data to access select Spotify tracks.
The UK Online Safety Act, which came into law on July 25, 2021, is causing a stir beyond its initial aim of protecting children from harmful content. This new legislation is affecting services like Spotify, with music containing swearwords now subject to stringent age verification measures.
The Act requires social media companies and search services to protect users from illegal content and content harmful to children. However, the implementation of these measures has led to privacy concerns, user backlash, and debates about data security.
Users must share sensitive personal data, such as biometric facial scans or government IDs, to access certain songs labeled as explicit. This requirement raises fears about misuse or data breaches, reminiscent of past scandals like Cambridge Analytica.
The Cambridge Analytica scandal involved the UK-based consulting firm harvesting data from millions of Facebook users without their consent. The harvested data was used to fuel the Brexit campaign and Donald Trump's successful 2016 presidential bid.
The mandatory age checks introduce friction in accessing content, frustrating many adult users who view this as an unnecessary barrier. Some users have threatened to return to piracy as a result. Failure to complete the age verification can lead to account suspensions or deletions, adding pressure on users to comply even if uncomfortable with the verification process.
Civil liberties groups, including Big Brother Watch, have expressed concerns about the Act. Matthew Feeney, Advocacy Manager at Big Brother Watch, stated that it's unclear if the Act will make children safer.
There has been a spike in VPN downloads since the Act's enforcement to bypass the new rules. However, using VPNs comes with risks, such as importing malware or having data scalped nefariously.
As the Act's enforcement extends to other platforms such as social media and gaming services, it indicates a wider transformation of digital content access and compliance responsibilities driven by the Act. This transformation is influencing privacy norms, digital identity management, and user engagement on these platforms in the UK.
[1] BBC News. (2021, July 26). Online Safety Bill: What is it and what does it mean for you? Retrieved from https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-57965106
[2] The Guardian. (2021, July 25). Spotify asks UK users to prove their age to access explicit songs after new online safety law. Retrieved from https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2021/jul/25/spotify-asks-uk-users-to-prove-their-age-to-access-explicit-songs-after-new-online-safety-law
[3] The Independent. (2021, July 26). Spotify users could have their accounts suspended if they don't verify their age under new online safety law. Retrieved from https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/gadgets-and-tech/news/spotify-age-verification-online-safety-bill-b1874754.html
[4] Wired. (2021, July 26). Spotify's New Age Verification System Is a Privacy Nightmare. Retrieved from https://www.wired.co.uk/article/spotify-age-verification-online-safety-bill
- The UK Online Safety Act, which came into law on July 25, 2021, has caused debates about data security as users are required to share sensitive personal data to access certain content, which raises fears about misuse or data breaches, similar to the Cambridge Analytica scandal.
- As the UK Online Safety Act's enforcement extends to other platforms like social media and gaming services, it influences privacy norms, digital identity management, and user engagement, with some users turning to VPNs to bypass the new rules, despite the risks of potential malware or data scalping.
- Civil liberties groups, such as Big Brother Watch, voice concerns about the UK Online Safety Act, expressing uncertainty whether the Act will effectively protect children without encroaching on privacy and technology policies, leading to user backlash and debates about its overall impact on general news and politics.
