PlayStation to Block Voice Chat & Messages Without Age Verification

Sony Interactive Entertainment is officially rolling out mandatory age verification for PlayStation users worldwide later this year. To comply with emerging global regulations, Sony will require a one-time check for all console owners. If you refuse, you will lose access to critical communication features.

Currently, Sony is focusing on the UK and Ireland. Users in these regions must verify their age by June 2026. The company has already started sending email notices to affected players.

Sony will not completely lock you out of your console. However, unverified users will face immediate communication restrictions. You will instantly lose access to:

Fortunately, your core gaming experience remains safe. You can still play your games, earn trophies, and buy titles from the PlayStation Store without completing the check.

Why is PlayStation making this move now? The answer lies in strict new laws. In late 2025, California Governor Gavin Newsom signed the Digital Age Assurance Act (AB 1043). This law forces all devices with an operating system to verify a user’s age during account creation. Because this law takes effect on January 1, 2027, Sony is preparing its systems globally.

Furthermore, this represents a broader industry trend. Competitors like Xbox and Steam already enforced similar age checks in the UK and Ireland in late 2025.

Age verification remains a highly controversial topic in the gaming community. Earlier in 2026, Discord tried to enforce platform-wide age checks. Consequently, users protested massively. Gamers canceled their Nitro subscriptions and migrated to rival voice apps. This intense backlash forced Discord to delay its rollout to the second half of 2026.

Similarly, Roblox encountered severe technical disasters during its own age verification rollout. Many users permanently lost their chat histories due to system errors. As Sony moves forward, gamers will closely watch to see if PlayStation can execute this rollout without breaking its ecosystem.

TechnologyPakistan Freelancers Struggle as Slow Internet Disrupts Digital EconomyBy Zohaib Shah|15 hours ago|2 min readThe slow internet is affecting millions of freelancers in Pakistan. Across the country, digital workers are struggling to stay productive as unstable connections interrupt daily.

CybersecurityIs China the First Country to Regulate AI Avatars & Deepfake Use? Here’s What We KnowBy Abdul Wasay|24 hours ago|3 min readChina’s Cyberspace Administration has issued comprehensive draft regulations governing AI-generated “digital humans,” requiring prominent labeling, explicit consent for using personal likenesses, and special protections for.

TechnologyWho is John Ternus, the Man to Succeed Tim Cook as Apple’s New CEOBy Abdul Wasay|1 day ago|3 min readJohn Ternus, Apple’s senior vice president of hardware engineering, will become chief executive officer of one of the world’s most valuable companies on September 1,.

TechnologyJapan Grants $380M to Sony for AI Chip and Semiconductor ExpansionBy Sabica Tahira|2 days ago|2 min readJapan has approved financial support worth up to 60 billion yen ($380 million) for Sony Group Corporation to strengthen domestic semiconductor production, with a strong focus on next-generation AI.