Spotify becomes the latest app to introduce age verification for their content (podcasts included)

Spotify has announced it will perform age checks for UK users if it suspects you’re under 13 (which is Spotify’s minimum age requirement), but many listeners aged over 18 have already reported being asked to verify their age as well. The change comes as part after the introduction of the Online Safety Act in the UK.

The age verification requirements of the Online Safety Act came into effect on 25 July, and require all platforms that display adult content to verify that users are over 18 by using age verification checks.

If you fail to complete the age verification process, Spotify has said “your account will be deactivated and eventually deleted”.

Like Reddit and X, Spotify has partnered with Yoti, a digital identification firm that conducts age checks via facial scanning. For Spotify users, Yoti will use different means of age verification, from facial scanning to requesting a scan of your ID if it suspects you’re under 13. If you fail to complete the age verification process, Spotify has said “your account will be deactivated and eventually deleted”.

Yet, unlike apps like Reddit, Discord, and X, Spotify isn’t a hub for explicit images or videos. Nevertheless, this new policy could affect podcasts that cover mature themes — such as politics, relationships, or sex education— as well as music with explicit lyrics. For podcast creators, this raises new questions about how their work will be classified, flagged, and possibly restricted.

As the Online Safety Act continues to reshape digital platforms, Spotify’s age checks highlight a growing tension: how to protect younger users online without over-policing creative expression, including student-led podcasts.

For students, the move could have mixed effects. Younger listeners may find some of their favourite true crime or advice podcasts suddenly locked behind age checks. On the flip side, student podcasters who cover sensitive or mature topics may see their shows restricted to verified users only — potentially limiting their audience.

As the Online Safety Act continues to reshape digital platforms, Spotify’s age checks highlight a growing tension: how to protect younger users online without over-policing creative expression, including student-led podcasts.