PlayStation to gate access to R18+ games behind age verification

Australian PlayStation gamers will soon require age verification to access R18+ content via the platform’s online store as part of the country’s recent regulations surrounding age-appropriate content.

According to an email seen by GadgetGuy, Australian PlayStation users can now verify their age via either a facial scan or by providing a form of ID. Per a frequently asked questions page, users who don’t verify soon won’t be able to add content rated R18+ to their library via the PlayStation Store.

“As part of our commitment to online safety and age-appropriate play, we use age verification to help deliver the best PlayStation experience for your age and to help protect our younger players,” PlayStation’s website reads.

PlayStation’s move follows the Australian eSafety Commissioner’s Age-Restricted Material Codes that were implemented earlier this year. Under the regulations, Australians “have to complete some form of age assurance to access online games classified R18+ by the Australian Classification Board”.

The state of age verification and media classification

PlayStation is the latest major gaming platform to require age verification for restricted adult content in Australia, after Microsoft rolled out the requirement earlier in the month across PC and Xbox. Like Microsoft’s requirements, PlayStation’s age verification won’t prevent users from accessing R18+ content they already own.

PlayStation also uses the same age verification platform as Microsoft: Yoti. Based in London, Yoti describes itself as a “global leader in privacy-focused identity and age assurance solutions”. Research from the Georgia Institute of Technology and the University of California claimed that the business collected information “beyond what is strictly necessary to verify age”, prompting Yoti to publish an open letter in response.

R18+ games continue to be a hot topic locally, with some games not meeting the classification threshold. The Australian Classification Board recently faced renewed scrutiny over its decision to refuse classification for Halloween: The Game, preventing its sale locally. After a round of consultation last year and another round earlier this year, Australia’s media classification guidelines are up for review in an effort to modernise the system.

The post PlayStation to gate access to R18+ games behind age verification appeared first on GadgetGuy.

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