Sony’s PlayStation 5 age verification rules are now taking effect in the UK and Ireland, where the rollout is currently in a pilot phase before full enforcement by June 2026 . The company says adult accounts will need to verify their age to keep using communication, broadcasting, and some social features. Child safety is the stated reason, but the rollout has quickly turned into another argument about privacy, data collection, and how much policing online platforms should be allowed to do.

Your PS5 still works, but your social life may not

Sony says unverified users can still play games, use non-communication features, and buy content from the PlayStation Store .…