The United Kingdom has implemented robust age verification requirements on pornography websites in a bid to protect minors, but experts are warning that these efforts might inadvertently push curious teenagers toward more dangerous corners of the internet, potentially increasing their exposure to criminal exploitation and harmful content. As the new law came into effect, discussions intensified among policymakers, internet safety advocates, and parents about how to balance digital child protection with the real-world behaviors of tech-savvy youth and the internet’s borderless nature (Huffington Post UK).
This development matters greatly both for parents in the UK and for societies like Thailand, where internet access is widespread among children and adolescents. Digital safeguarding increasingly occupies center stage in public discourse, reflecting anxieties about young people’s exposure to explicit content and the risks associated with unsupervised online exploration. Data from Ofcom — the UK communications regulator — revealed that almost one in ten British children aged eight to 14 visited pornographic websites in a single month. The figure rises to two in ten for boys aged 13 to 14, underscoring a pattern that likely resonates in other digital societies, including Thailand.
Under the new regulations, traditional methods of declaring one’s age by checking a box will no longer suffice for gaining access to online pornography. Platforms must now implement advanced online age checks, such as live photo or video face recognition, verification through official IDs or credit cards, or using selfies with proof of age. Ofcom now has the power to impose large fines or block noncomplying sites entirely from the UK. The promise is clear: make it harder for underage users to access explicit material, akin to regulations around alcohol and gambling.
Yet, the potential for unintended consequences looms large. According to the policy manager for child safety online at the UK’s leading child protection charity, the move is welcomed as a much-needed step toward safeguarding minors on major porn platforms. The regulatory environment seeks to send a strong message about online responsibility. However, a prominent solicitor specializing in criminal defense for sexual offenses expressed deep reservations that “stricter age checks will inevitably lead to teenagers attempting to access adult material on the increasing number of smaller, more fringe websites that are not subject to the same internal safeguards as the porn giants.” The lawyer warned that truly dangerous material — including illegally produced content and sites run by criminal networks — thrives in less regulated spaces, increasing young users’ chances of encountering grooming, extortion, or predatory behavior.
Furthermore, technological workarounds such as Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) mean that so-called “geo-blocks” can often be easily bypassed by determined users, exposing teens to both unmoderated pornographic material and the often-pernicious communities found on encrypted messaging apps and the dark web. An expert with the Open Rights Group echoed these concerns, telling the BBC and online media that children’s attempts to sidestep age restrictions “may inadvertently expose themselves to greater online harms,” such as exposure to malware and predatory actors.
For Thai society, the lessons are poignant. Internet adoption is high among Thai youth, and government concerns about digital safety have led to periodic discussions about content regulation, censorship, and digital literacy (Thailand Development Research Institute). Yet, experts repeatedly warn that technological barriers alone rarely deter motivated young users for long — and may complicate parental oversight.
What, then, is a responsible and effective approach? The consensus among international child safety experts is that education and dialogue must complement regulation. A notable safeguarding professional from a digital learning provider emphasized that parents should engage in regular, age-appropriate conversations with children about online safety and exposure to inappropriate content. “The key is meeting children at their level – with empathy, age-appropriate language, and a non-judgemental tone,” they advised, to ensure children feel safe confiding in adults.
During preteen years (nine to 12), peer pressure and exposure to digital bullying or inappropriate content surge. Adults are encouraged to keep an open dialogue, regularly asking about which apps and sites children visit and maintaining a non-intrusive but consistent presence in their digital lives. Among teenagers, the emphasis should shift toward building trust and fostering honest, two-way communication. Overly restrictive policies risk pushing teens into secrecy or rebellion; empowering them to make informed decisions is a more durable solution, experts suggest.
The importance of vigilance cannot be overstated. Sudden behavioral changes — withdrawal from family, irritability, changes in sleep patterns, or reluctance to attend school — may indicate a child is suffering from digital exposure to harmful material or cyberbullying. Equally, sudden changes in digital habits, such as deleting social media accounts or being unusually emotional about smartphone usage, can signal problems requiring gentle inquiry and support. Thai parents, many of whom face generational and digital literacy gaps, are encouraged to schedule regular “digital check-ins” with their children, using news reports and cases of online scams or cyberbullying as a springboard for education, not punishment (Internet Foundation for the Development of Thailand).
Looking ahead, the UK’s regulatory experiment serves as a living laboratory for countries debating similar measures. As the European Union and countries across Asia explore tighter online age restrictions, researchers and advocacy groups are likely to watch closely for evidence on whether bans on major porn sites truly reduce youth exposure to explicit material — or simply redistribute it to riskier platforms.
For Thailand, where debates over regulation and information freedom remain sensitive, the UK case reminds us that digital parenting must combine technology, conversation, and community. Schools and public health agencies should expand digital literacy curricula, ensuring that children learn to navigate risk, recognize exploitative behavior, and seek support. Policy discussions should also account for the limits of geo-blocking and the reality that motivated teens will continue to circumvent online barriers.
Practical recommendations for Thai parents and educators include: proactively talking to children about online content, using age-appropriate resources (such as guides created by organizations like Internet Matters and the Thai Health Promotion Foundation), and fostering a home environment where internet use is openly discussed. Government agencies, meanwhile, should prioritize digital skills training for parents and teachers, invest in robust reporting systems for cyberbullying and child exploitation, and collaborate with international partners to monitor emerging risks and effective interventions (International Telecommunication Union: Guidelines for Child Online Protection).
In this rapidly changing digital landscape, the UK’s experience offers Thai policymakers and families both a warning and a roadmap: regulation alone is not enough, but combined with education, empathy, and vigilance, it can be part of a broader strategy to protect young people online.