The UK government has announced plans to implement new double identification requirements for online knife purchases, following a murder in Southport where the perpetrator acquired a weapon through Amazon. Under the new regulations, buyers will need to provide two forms of identification when purchasing knives online, marking a significant expansion of the country’s digital identity verification framework.
The verification requirements will include a photo ID, such as a driver’s license or passport, along with proof of address in the form of a utility bill or bank statement. The dual-verification approach extends recent developments in the UK’s digital identity infrastructure, which has seen the implementation of similar verification systems for age-restricted products and services.
The initiative comes as a direct response to the Southport incident, which revealed potential vulnerabilities in the current online knife purchasing system. The measure is part of broader efforts to enhance digital safety measures, including the UK’s Online Safety Bill and expanding age verification requirements across various sectors.
The new requirements expand existing knife sale regulations in the UK, where retailers are already required to verify age and identity for in-person purchases. Recent research from Juniper Research indicates that businesses are increasingly investing in digital identity verification technology, with global spending expected to reach $16.7 billion as organizations strengthen their verification processes.
The measures will affect all online retailers selling knives to UK customers, requiring them to modify their verification procedures to accommodate the new dual-ID requirement. Major platforms like Amazon, which has recently enhanced its authentication capabilities with passkey support, will need to implement these additional verification layers specifically for UK knife sales. The regulations aim to maintain legitimate access to knives for appropriate purposes while adding additional safety protocols to prevent misuse.
Sources: Manx Radio
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