Starting this year, age verification will be required for PlayStation consoles to access voice chat.

If you have a PS Plus account, you can expect to receive an email soon. It looks like big changes are on the horizon for how you use your PlayStation console. Sony has been compelled to implement age verification for certain online features.

In the past, age verification simply involved entering your birth date on a website and wondering why they even bothered asking, since you could easily make up any date. But now, more and more websites and online services are requiring official proof of age. This not only applies to "adult sites," but also to consoles.

Sony is starting to send out emails this week to PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5 owners, warning them that they will need to provide concrete evidence of their age if they wish to continue using chat and communication features online. Similar age checks have already been implemented by Roblox and Discord. In the UK, Sony will be using Yoti, a British company that utilizes AI-based facial age estimation and digital identity checks.

By the end of the year, you will either need to sign up with Yoti or stop using the chat features on your console. The email message, as shared on ResetEra, states: "At Sony Interactive Entertainment, we are committed to creating safe and age-appropriate experiences for players and families. We also value privacy and believe in giving players and parents control over their gaming experience.

As part of our compliance with global regulations, you will need to verify your age later this year in order to continue using PlayStation communication features, such as messages and voice chat. However, if you do not verify your age, you will still have access to other PlayStation services like games, trophies, and the Store." In addition, the email includes a link to verify your age right away. However, there is no indication of when this age verification will become mandatory.

It's worth noting that this is not just a UK issue. It's highly likely that Nintendo and Microsoft will also be implementing similar measures by the end of the year in order to comply with the same regulations. There is no mention of having to prove your age in order to play games with specific age ratings, as there is no universal standard for ratings.

However, most of Europe, including the UK, follows the PEGI system. Since Discord is the main alternative to using a console's native voice chat system, and it already has its own age verification requirements, there doesn't seem to be a clear solution for those who wish to avoid using more obscure software. Sony's main priority in implementing these age verification measures is the protection of children.

It's no secret that public voice chat can be a toxic environment, especially in popular online games such as Call of Duty and GTA Online. While it's true that many online games have age ratings of 16 or 18, meaning they should not be played by children, popular free-to-play games like Fortnite and Overwatch have a rating of 12, making them easily accessible to younger audiences. It's important to note that this age verification process may not be perfect, as it relies on AI technology to estimate a person's age based on their facial features.

So, if you have a "baby face," you may need to be prepared for potential challenges in proving your age. If you have any thoughts on this topic, we'd love to hear from you. You can reach us via email, leave a comment below, or follow us on Twitter.

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