PlayStation Will Require ID Photos to Use Chat and Voice Features

Sony is requiring PlayStation users in the UK and Ireland to submit identity documents—such as a photo of their driver's license—to keep using voice chat, messaging, and online party features. The change takes effect by June 2026. Players who decline verification can still play games alone but lose the ability to interact with friends. Microsoft is requiring the same for Xbox users. Worth flagging: gaming platforms are moving away from decades of minimal identity checks toward formal document verification, driven by government age-protection laws.