John Z Black
Brunswick, ME • (207) 245-1010 • contact@johnzblack.com
Two enforcement actions this week. Different continents, different mechanisms, same direction: platforms no longer get to decide for themselves how seriously to take child safety.
What Apple Just Did in the UK
UK iPhone users getting the iOS 26.4 update now have age verification turned on by default. Not optional. Not a dismissible prompt. Every user, regardless of age, needs to verify before accessing certain apps and content.
Verification options: a credit card on file, another payment method, or a government ID scan. Apple says it’s “required by law in some countries and regions.” The law is the UK Online Safety Act, which put real pressure on platforms to enforce age restrictions rather than rely on checkbox agreements.
Here’s what’s worth naming plainly: age verification means identity verification. A credit card is a financial instrument tied to your name. A government ID scan is your ID, on your phone, submitted to a platform. The era of using consumer tech without proving who you are is being legislated away in the name of child safety.
That’s a real trade-off. Reasonable people disagree about whether it’s the right one. But it’s worth being clear about what’s actually being given up.
The UK isn’t alone. France and the Netherlands are considering social media restrictions for children under 15. US states are passing age verification laws of their own, though those are facing First Amendment challenges. The question isn’t whether this is coming to more places. It clearly is.
Snapchat and the DSA’s Real Teeth
The European Commission opened a formal investigation into Snapchat under the Digital Services Act. Confirmed violations can carry fines up to 6 percent of global annual revenue. For a company Snapchat’s size, that’s meaningful. This isn’t a letter of concern.
The investigation focuses on whether Snapchat’s child safety practices actually meet DSA obligations around recommender systems, content exposure, and minor account protections. Four major adult content platforms were separately warned they face financial penalties for non-compliance.
The DSA is now an enforcement instrument, not a policy statement. That’s what this week’s action signals.
The Preview
Age verification online went from niche regulatory idea to operational at scale on one of the world’s most widely used devices inside a few years. That’s a fast timeline.
The UK and EU are writing the implementation playbook now. US federal appetite for tech regulation around child safety has been growing across both parties. What’s happening in London and Brussels right now is likely the preview of where this lands in Washington eventually.