Laws of Entertainment – 5 Countries That Pioneered Cybersecurity

After our look into where biometric data-based government-issued ID legislation began, the question we are left with is how we got to the point of cybersecurity laws being passed that will affect the way we consume and interact with entertainment and social media-related content. In order to do that, we need to look at what happened in which countries that pushed for laws to regulate or eliminate online access.

They Started With Games

Our first look at advances in cybersecurity is in China in the year 2006, when they developed laws they could implement with the target being minors, their moral education, as well as attacking gaming addiction. It led to the 2007 Anti-Addiction Notice, which saw significant results: operators heightened responsibility, with mandatory implementation of anti-addiction measures for game approval. Through the cybersecurity efforts of this law, monitoring showed improvements with minors’ time spent gaming or showing addictive behaviors decreasing. 

To prevent children from bypassing restrictions or using fake identities, the Anti-Addiction Notice became pivotal in assuring online safety measures due to the registrant having to use their name and national ID number that would be verified by official databases. There was an official trial period through September 2011 before it became fully enforced in October of 2011, applying initially to online games for personal computers and consoles. The Ministry of Public Security’s National Citizen Identity Number Inquiry Center handles verification, provides results, and explains requirements for how to have submissions processed expediently. 

By 2017, China had passed the Cybersecurity Law of the People’s Republic of China into full effect. This law laid the brickwork for a broad definition of network operators’ obligations to ensure cybersecurity protections and capabilities, including but not limited to logging of activities, taking measures against possible threats like viruses or attacks, and required reporting of incidents. China’s Cybersecurity safety framework was broad, but also set the foundation for further innovation in the field.

The Age of Verification

Following discussions that began in 2021, the United Kingdom passed the Online Safety Act of 2023 (OSA). The Office of Communications (OFCOM) was set as the regulator for online safety, in part due to experience with tackling communications and media oversight, which came from the Communications Act 2003. This was a notable step into cybersecurity for OFCOM as they maintained risk registers and codes of practice, defining platform obligations.

By March of 2025, platforms were required to stop access and or remove illegal content relating to violence, pornography, and suicide, to name a few. This led to the enforcement of age verification for harmful content by July 2025. Companies are required to provide transparency regarding age verification tools they use, showing they are compliant with the OSA.

After the European Commission’s proposal in 2021, they made revisions to their eIDAS Regulation from 2014 on electronic identification and trust services, resulting in the new Digital Identity Wallet Regulation, eIDAS 2.0, going into effect in 2024. This created a secure architecture for Digital ID across the EU, emphasizing user control as well as privacy. 

The framework integrated cybersecurity against threats with robust encryption and end-to-end protection. Utilizing open-source user software, though with cited exceptions, was done to prevent tracking or unapproved access. The wallets are deemed valid proofs of identity for up to 5 years, with mandatory vulnerability checks being done every 2 years. Member States are mandated to make these available to all citizens by 31 December 2026.

Safety Digs Deep

Australia took a rigorous approach to cybersecurity with the Online Safety Amendment (Social Media Minimum Age) Act 2024, being fully enforced on 10 December 2025. This gave platforms a year to implement reasonable steps to be in line with age assurance. The minimum age of 16 restriction is a hard ban with no parental consent exceptions, applying to major platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, Reddit, X (Formerly Twitter), Threads, TikTok, YouTube, Twitch, and Kick. Exemptions exist for primarily messaging tools, WhatsApp, Signal, Telegram, Zoom, and Skype.

Platforms have adopted a layered approach as of March 2026, starting with behavioral analysis of the users’ habits. If flagged as underage, they are sent to the next stage of facial age estimation, wherein the user takes a video selfie. If the AI is still unsure, they have the final hard verification, using a passport, a driver’s license, or privacy-based digital tokens such as a ConnectID token.

Vietnam passed Decree No. 147/2024/ND-CP with a stringent overhaul to the governance of internet use in Vietnam, fully enforced from December 25, 2024, and replacing the original Decree 72/2013/ND-CP. The Decree replaced earlier rules, strict real-name/authentication requirements for social media and online interactions, similar to China’s real-name expansion. The scope across services, however, was broader with a stronger emphasis on cross-border platforms. 

Through the decree, user authentication is mandatory for interactive features such as posting, commenting, livestreaming, or sharing. To be verified, they must use either a Vietnamese mobile number, linked to a national ID via telecom registration or e-ID, or e-ID for commercial livestreams. This was a unique take on cybersecurity as it made requirements of all users, regardless of age, to verify their identity.

Providers are mandated to store user data (full name, date of birth, phone/ID) and provide it to authorities upon request. Existing users had until March 25, 2025, to verify or be restricted from interactive features. Foreign social media such as Facebook, TikTok, YouTube, etc face a regulated status at high traffic, with authorities monitoring compliance and emphasizing cyberinformation security.

This installment brings us to a close on how we got to where we are now and where it all began. Our next challenge will be navigating and finding details about things happening in a country not yet named. Hope you found it enlightening, look forward to the 3rd installment, where we will be discussing current legislation targeted at our media, our operating systems, and possibly even some of their own reactions to being thrust into the spotlight.