From late November 2025, Substack began requiring users in the UK to upload a government-issued ID or a selfie to access content categorised as sexually explicit, promoting self-harm, hate speech, violent material or dangerous challenges.
This move follows the UK’s regulatory framework that mandates platforms to restrict access to such content unless users verify their age.
While Substack maintains that it opposes these laws, stating they are not necessarily effective and come with significant costs to free expression and privacy, it has chosen to comply with local regulations to continue operating in the UK. The company emphasises that the changes are limited to users in the UK and has briefly mentioned Australia, where similar rules are being enforced, but has not reiterated restrictions to Australian users.
Substack’s compliance with these rules, despite its stated principles of free expression, marks a notable concession to the UK’s regulatory regime. Paid subscribers with verified payment information are exempt from additional verification steps.
However, it represents a significant shift toward censorship and surveillance, with concerns that it undermines digital freedom and privacy. The UK’s Online Safety Act has led to widespread age verification demands across platforms, effectively restricting access to content ranging from period-related subreddits to hobbyist forums.
The new restrictions aren’t limited to posts. Substack has warned that chats, direct messages, comments and Notes may also be blurred or blocked if they fall within the Act’s definition of “potentially harmful.”...<<<Read More>>>...
