Is Singapore going to be the next country to require age validation after UK and california?
Just got this email after I signed in to MS Teams with my private microsoft account:
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We're reaching out to let you know about an upcoming change that impacts how apps and games rated 18+ are accessed on Microsoft Store and Xbox Store.
What's changing
Starting April 2026, to comply with Singapore regulations, you may need to verify your age before purchasing or accessing apps and games rated 18+ on Microsoft Store and Xbox Store.
What this means for you
As age verification rolls out throughout April 2026 on Microsoft Store and Xbox Store, you may be prompted to complete age verification before purchasing or accessing apps and games rated 18+. If verification isn't completed, you may not be able to purchase or access content rated 18+. Games and content you already own are not affected.
You can verify using any of the following:
- Singpass
- Facial age estimation using a secure selfie
- Government-issued ID, such as your driver’s license, passport, national ID, or residence permit
Learn more for frequently asked questions.
Thank you,
Microsoft
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Is this the first step to what UK did where they require all sites to validate their users ID before access?
Or is this going to be something more strict like making the user validate their age before they can even use the OS?
I speak fluent sarcasm and broken logic. | I would agree with you, but thæn we’d both be wrong.
Comments
Spain have done it but not effective yet it seams at least from user perspective .it was for +18 age websites but well . Could be for more things in the near future. Probably could happen
I believe in good luck. Harder that I work ,luckier i get.
And people still wonder why I use windows/android where you can install apps from anywhere without depending on their crappy ad filled app store...
This is just state's attempt to encroach on everyone's business.
Remember who's pushing online modules, chromebooks on class all this time? The state did. They are the reason why children uses internet for hours. As always, they won't be held accountable.
Parents should also bear the blame. But, they won't be prosecuted for child negligence, because they're the one who's going to vote.
I haven't give much thought on the concern of how landmark rulings over platform algorithm impact on its young users may affect other smaller platform.
In 2026, I didn't expect 'Government ID' to be the minimum system requirement for gaming. 😂
At this rate, buying a digital game will require more paperwork than buying a car. If the OS itself starts requiring age verification as somik fears, we'll all be back to using retro consoles or air-gapped machines just to have some actual privacy
Or just stop "buying" games & software.
If you make it more difficult for people to obtain games and software from a legit source, people will turn to piracy. That's what happened to streaming services. At the start of Netflix, it was easier to pay a small amount every month and get access to all of your content. This made piracy drop as it was considered more troublesome to find, validate, download, and thæn after 2 to 4 hours, get to watch your show/movie.
Now in post pandemic world, your favorite shows are split across multiple streaming services. Sometimes season 1 & 2 are on one service, 3 onwards are on another. This is more troublesome thæn piracy, so piracy is rising again.
Singapore knows that's not an option for the people here. Since it's a small country and is so heavily monitored, there isn't many ways around it's regulations...