Twitch introduces mandatory face-scan age verification for UK users

Jack Stewart, Senior Editor

Last Updated: 14/11/2025

Twitch has officially released a new age verification system in the UK, which will require users to scan their faces using a built-in app.

UK viewers will now be subject to a mandatory age check to watch anything deemed mature in order to comply with the UK’s Online Safety Act.

The Amazon-owned streaming platform already blocked anyone under 13 from making an account.

An email sent to UK users from Twitch stated:

“We are introducing mandatory age verification for users in the UK who want to watch certain types of content on Twitch that may not be suitable for everyone.

“This change helps ensure that we provide a safe, age-appropriate experience for UK users between the ages of 13 (the minimum age required to use Twitch) and 18.”

These checks will take place during account creation, logging in for the first time since the changes, or if the stream contains these Content Classification Labels (CCLs):

• Sexual Themes
• Drugs
• Intoxication
• Excessive Tobacco Use
• Violent and Graphic Depictions
• Gambling

It’s not entirely clear exactly what games this will affect, though the yet again delayed GTA VI will surely be labelled as mature.

The mandatory face and identification scans brought in by the UK government have been criticised as a potentially major security risk.

Earlier this year, Discord brought in a similar face scan system to the UK and Australia.

However, Discord then suffered a data breach with potentially 70,000 users’ ID photos leaked, including pictures of passports and driver’s licenses.

A ‘Repeal the Online Safety Act’ petition, claiming the act is too widespread, will be debated in parliament next month.

The petition argues the current system risks “clamping down on civil society talking about trains, football, video games or even hamsters because it can’t deal with individual bad faith actors.”

Twitch could restrict under-18 UK streamers from earning while streaming

The online world is becoming increasingly restricted for young people, with more safety guidelines being introduced.

Back in September, UK regulator Ofcom proposed new online safety guidelines for young livestreamers.

These suggested Ofcom regulations would stop under-18 streamers in the UK from earning donations.

Ofcom wants to block all commenting, gifting, reacting to or recording livestreams of under-18s.

This would mean under-18s wouldn’t be able to receive Twitch donations, subscriptions, or similar sources of revenue.

Ofcom claims restricting donations would remove the ability for an individual to bribe or influence a child to do something via gifting, particularly sexual behaviour.

The regulator also claims blocking comments would reduce the grooming and coercion of children into sexual behaviour, reduce bullying including preventing viewers from encouraging self-harm or suicide, and would reduce the ability for illegal content to be shared with children.

Jack Stewart, Senior Editor

In my seven years of esports writing, I've introduced esports coverage to newspapers, interviewed some of the biggest names in the industry, and driven viewers mad with the puns in my YouTube scripts. I'm most proud of the latter.

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