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Sony requires adult PlayStation accounts registered in the UK and Ireland to verify their age before using certain communication and broadcasting features. Unverified users can still play games and use the PlayStation Store, but PlayStation voice chat, messaging, parties and some other features may be unavailable. The rule described here is not confirmed as a worldwide policy.
Which PlayStation features require age verification?
Sony’s UK age-verification FAQ, updated June 1, 2026, says adult accounts registered in the UK or Ireland must verify once per account to use certain features. New adult accounts may be prompted during setup; existing accounts may be prompted when their owners try to use a restricted feature.
- PlayStation-provided voice chat, text chat or messaging, and joining parties or sessions.
- Discord voice chat accessed through PlayStation.
- Broadcasting gameplay through PlayStation to YouTube or Twitch.
Sony says features provided within individual games may also be affected, including in-game chat or messaging and sharing or uploading user-generated content. The effect depends on the game and may change when a title updates; Sony does not say that every game’s own chat is blocked in the same way.
Can you still play PS5 without verifying your age?
Yes. Sony says unverified users can continue playing games, use non-communication features on the console or in games, and access and purchase from PlayStation Store. The stated restriction is not a total console or gameplay lockout.
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Sony’s FAQ says users under 18 need an account managed by a parent or guardian. Age verification for adult accounts is separate from family settings: PlayStation’s US parental-controls guidance describes controls that a family manager or guardian can use to limit features such as game chat, messages, parties and player-created content. Those controls vary by account, system and territory.
How can you verify your age on PlayStation?
Sony lists three options in its verification flow. Yoti provides the verification service, according to Sony’s FAQ.
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| Method | What it involves | Important condition |
|---|---|---|
| Mobile number | Verify using a mobile number and the information associated with it. | You must hold a mobile contract and the details must match the provider’s records. Prepay and pay-as-you-go numbers are not supported for this method. |
| Facial age estimation | Take a face photo in good lighting so Yoti can estimate age from facial geometry. | This estimates age; it is not an identity-document check. |
| Identity document | Scan an accepted passport, driving licence or national ID document. | Accepted documents depend on the issuing-country list shown in the verification flow. Sony estimates confirmation may take 3–6 minutes after scanning; that is not a guaranteed completion time. |
Follow the prompt on the account or feature that requests verification and choose one of the available methods. Sony’s FAQ does not establish that every method or document is available to every user, so check the options presented in the flow.
What happens to your verification data?
Sony says Yoti processes the information supplied for verification. Sony also says Yoti deletes facial geometry after verification is complete, PlayStation does not collect, store or otherwise process that geometry, and PlayStation receives only the verification result. These are Sony’s descriptions of the process, not an independent audit of Yoti’s data handling. Sony directs users to its FAQ for details and to Yoti’s privacy policy for information about Yoti’s handling of data.
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Why does Sony require age verification?
Sony says the process is intended to help provide an age-appropriate experience and protect younger users, and that it is used in line with local law and regulation. That is the company’s stated rationale, not an independent legal analysis or proof that verification itself improves safety.
In a 2024 post about player safety, Sony Interactive Entertainment said: “At SIE, we have knowledgeable and trained human moderation teams that review content 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.” Sony also described reviewing reports about messages, voice chat, profiles, group names, Online IDs and some in-game communication. This is background on Sony’s moderation approach, not evidence of the effect of age verification.
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Does this rule apply outside the UK and Ireland?
The cited Sony FAQ establishes the requirement for adult accounts registered in the UK and Ireland. It does not confirm the policy for other territories or give a full international rollout schedule, so users elsewhere should check the age-verification information and prompts for their own region rather than assume the same rule applies.
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