A recent iPhone software update is quietly changing how millions of people in the UK access the internet — and most people don’t yet realise the scale of what’s happened. With the release of iOS 26.4, Apple has introduced mandatory age and identity checks at the operating system level. In simple terms, your iPhone may […]
Despite what the update suggests, this system is not required by UK law.
Laws like the Online Safety Act 2023 apply to websites and online services — not to entire phone operating systems.
Similarly, the Data Protection Act 2018 (and its Age Appropriate Design Code) sets standards for protecting children online, but does not mandate ID checks for all device users.
This is a voluntary decision by Apple — not a legal obligation.
https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/online-safety-act
That’s all covered by the article.