X implements age verification system behind premium paywall

X has implemented age assurance measures on July 26, 2025, in compliance with the UK's Online Safety Act, the Irish Online Safety Code and the European Union Digital Services Act. The platform requires age verification to access certain types of content, but numerous users report the verification process has been placed behind a premium subscription paywall.

The social media platform introduced a multi-step age assurance approach designed to verify or estimate whether users are 18 or under. This system applies appropriate settings, including restricting access to sensitive media and pornographic content. The implementation followed new UK/EU safety regulations that came into effect July 25, 2025.

Users attempting to verify their age encounter specific instructions from X's AI assistant Grok. The platform recommends two verification pathways: facial age estimation through uploading a live selfie, or ID verification by submitting government-issued identification. However, widespread user complaints indicate these options are not consistently available to all users.

"To verify your age on X: Open Settings > Privacy and safety > Content you see. If prompted for age assurance, choose Facial age estimation (upload a live selfie) or ID verification (submit government-issued ID)," Grok's automated response stated on July 26, 2025.

Multiple users have reported technical difficulties accessing the verification system. User feedback indicates the age assurance prompt appears inconsistently, with many finding the settings menu does not contain the referenced options. The technical issues have prompted thousands of user complaints across social media platforms.

"That setting literally don't exist and there is no way to contact assistance through the site," one user commented in response to Grok's instructions. Another user noted, "I don't see that?!?" when attempting to locate the verification settings.

The verification system employs multiple methods according to X's documentation. The platform begins by assessing highly reliable signals to verify users' ages automatically. These signals include self-attested age data, completion of X's ID verification process, legacy verified public figures status, and account creation dates from 2012 or earlier.

For accounts lacking these verification signals, X implements additional estimation methods. These include email address-based estimation and network-based estimation using users' social connections. The platform plans to offer users choice between facial age estimation and ID verification options in cases where automatic verification fails.

X uses third-party processors Au10tix, Persona, and Stripe for ID verification services. The platform has implemented global availability for X Premium subscribers, with Stripe specifically offered to creators in the United States with gradual rollout to additional markets.

Premium subscription requirements have emerged as a significant point of user frustration. Multiple users report that age verification features are only accessible through X Premium subscriptions, which cost $8 monthly or $84 annually. This implementation has created barriers for users seeking to comply with age verification requirements.

"X implementing age assurance but also hiding ID verification behind a premium paywall," user @terancio_tezza observed on July 27, 2025, highlighting the monetization aspect of the safety feature.

The verification process applies globally despite originating from UK and EU regulatory requirements. Users from Mexico and other international locations report receiving age verification prompts, indicating the platform has implemented the system beyond the specific regulatory jurisdictions.

International users have expressed confusion about the extraterritorial application of UK and EU regulations. "I'm 59 years old, living in México, not a UK citizen, why are you applying UK/EUSSRR laws to me?" posted user @GeekyBugle01 on July 31, 2025.

The implementation follows X's broader restructuring of premium services. The platform previously introduced three subscription tiers: Basic ($3.08 per month), Premium ($8.33 per month), and Premium+ ($16.66 per month) in European markets. Each tier provides different feature access levels, with ID verification capabilities included in higher-tier subscriptions.

Technical specifications for the age verification system indicate data retention policies vary by processor. Au10tix and Persona delete images of IDs, selfies and extracted data after 30 days. Stripe retains creator verification data for the duration of creator program participation.

The platform maintains that accounts not in compliance with X's Terms of Service or Rules and policies are subject to losing their ID verified labels. Re-verification may be required based on various factors including account name changes, additional safety verification needs, account purpose changes, or inactive account policy violations.

For users determined to be under 18, X defaults them into sensitive media settings preventing access to age-restricted content. Users over 18 maintain access to sensitive media. If age cannot be determined, users may be defaulted into sensitive media restrictions until verification completion.

The age verification system includes appeal processes for users who believe their age has been incorrectly estimated. Users can challenge age determinations by contacting X Support through the app or website, though user reports indicate support accessibility issues.

The implementation has generated significant public criticism regarding platform accessibility and monetization of safety features. Privacy-conscious users have documented various workarounds, with VPN usage surging over 1,400% in the UK following the Online Safety Act implementation.

This development matters significantly for the marketing community because it represents a fundamental shift in social media platform operations and user verification standards. The integration of age verification with premium subscription models creates new considerations for brands developing social media marketing strategies.

For digital marketers, the changes affect campaign targeting capabilities and audience segmentation approaches. Age-verified users may represent more reliable demographic data for advertising targeting, while the premium paywall creates potential barriers to comprehensive audience reach.

The technical challenges surrounding implementation highlight broader issues facing social media platforms as they navigate evolving regulatory requirements. Marketing professionals must consider how verification requirements impact organic reach, paid advertising effectiveness, and overall campaign performance metrics.

Timeline

• October 26, 2023: UK Online Safety Act receives Royal Assent
• February 2025: X publishes ID Verification Policy & Privacy documentation
• July 25, 2025: UK Online Safety Act takes effect
• July 26, 2025: X implements age verification system
• July 27, 2025: Users report premium paywall barriers to verification
• July 31, 2025: International users question extraterritorial application
• November 2023: X introduces three premium tiers with varying features
• December 2024: xAI makes Grok chatbot free for all X users
• June 2024: X makes all user likes private by default

Summary

Who: X platform implemented age verification affecting all users globally, with particular impact on UK and EU users subject to new online safety regulations. Third-party verification processors Au10tix, Persona, and Stripe handle ID verification services.

What: A comprehensive age assurance system requiring facial age estimation or government ID verification to access age-restricted content. The system includes multiple verification methods ranging from automatic signals to user-submitted documentation, with features reportedly placed behind premium subscription paywalls.

When: Implementation began July 26, 2025, following the UK Online Safety Act taking effect July 25, 2025. The regulatory framework was established when the act received Royal Assent on October 26, 2023.

Where: The system applies globally across X's platform, despite originating from UK and EU regulatory requirements. Users in Mexico, the United States, and other international locations report receiving verification prompts.

Why: Compliance with the UK's Online Safety Act, Irish Online Safety Code, and European Union Digital Services Act requires platforms to verify user ages for accessing sensitive content including pornographic material. The regulations aim to protect minors from inappropriate content while maintaining platform safety standards.

Key Terms Explained

Age Verification: The process of confirming a user's age through various methods including government-issued identification or biometric analysis. X's implementation requires users to prove they are over 18 to access sensitive content, representing a significant shift from previous self-attestation methods. The system employs both automated signals and manual verification processes to determine user eligibility for age-restricted material.

Premium Paywall: A subscription-based access model where certain features are restricted to paying users. Reports indicate X has placed age verification capabilities behind its premium subscription tiers, creating controversy as safety features become monetized. This approach differs from other platforms that typically offer verification as a free safety measure.

UK Online Safety Act: Comprehensive legislation enacted July 25, 2025, requiring social media platforms to implement robust age verification systems. The act represents one of the world's most stringent online safety regulatory frameworks, imposing significant penalties for non-compliance and establishing new standards for platform accountability in protecting minors.

Facial Age Estimation: A biometric technology that analyzes facial features through artificial intelligence to estimate a user's age. X offers this as one verification method, requiring users to upload live selfies for AI processing. The technology aims to provide privacy-focused verification without requiring government identification documents.

ID Verification: The process of confirming identity through government-issued documents such as driver's licenses or passports. X's system uses third-party processors Au10tix, Persona, and Stripe to handle document verification while maintaining data protection standards. The verification creates a permanent record linking real identity to platform accounts.

Sensitive Media Settings: Content filtering controls that restrict access to material deemed inappropriate for minors, including pornographic content and graphic violence. Users determined to be under 18 are automatically defaulted into these restrictive settings, while verified adults maintain access to all content types.

Grok: X's artificial intelligence assistant that provides automated responses to user inquiries about platform features. Grok has been distributing instructions for age verification, though users report the provided guidance often doesn't match actual platform functionality, highlighting implementation inconsistencies.

Third-party Processors: External companies contracted to handle sensitive verification operations including Au10tix, Persona, and Stripe. These processors manage data collection, storage, and verification while adhering to specific retention policies, with most deleting verification images after 30 days to protect user privacy.

Legacy Verified Status: A designation for accounts that received verification under X's previous system before April 1, 2023. These accounts automatically qualify for age verification without additional steps, representing a grandfathered approach that bypasses new verification requirements for established users.

Extraterritorial Application: The extension of domestic laws beyond national borders, as seen with UK and EU regulations affecting users globally. International users report receiving age verification prompts despite not being subject to European regulations, demonstrating how platform-wide implementations can exceed original regulatory scope.