The game distribution platform Steam has begun complying with the UK's Online Safety Act regulations by requiring its users to verify their age using a credit card to access pages and games labeled "adult content."
As reported by The Verge on Monday, the policy applies not only to the game's homepage but also to community hubs related to adult content. This means that users in the UK cannot access community forums or adult-only game discussions unless they have linked a valid credit card to their Steam account.
Unlike other platforms like Reddit, Bluesky, and Discord that use selfies for age verification, Steam's managing company, Valve, stated that it limits its methods to credit cards only.
"Among all the age-verification mechanisms we reviewed, this process maintains the highest level of user privacy possible. Storing a credit card as a payment method also serves as an additional deterrent to prevent multiple accounts from being shared to circumvent verification," Valve said.
