New online safety rules in the UK require users to prove their age before accessing adult content, leading to some unexpected workarounds. One particularly clever method involves using Death Stranding 2: On the Beach on PS5 to bypass facial recognition checks. It’s an unusual example of gamers turning to a game’s features for a purpose beyond gaming.
These new measures require individuals to submit to identity verification, which may involve scanning their face using a smartphone camera. The goal is to limit underage access to porn sites and similar platforms, but the process has raised privacy concerns. Understandably, some individuals don’t want to share their biometric data, so alternatives like VPNs have gained popularity.
However, some UK players have discovered that they can use photo mode in Death Stranding 2 to bypass these checks. The game’s photo mode allows you to select Norman Reedus’ face and make him perform various expressions, like opening and closing his mouth, which matches the requirements of many of these security prompts.
Reports on X and an article from PC Gamer confirm that this workaround actually works. It’s kind of funny to think that Norman Reedus might become the UK’s most frequent ‘visitor’ to adult sites just because of this.
You can use Death Stranding's photo mode to bypass Discord's age verification https://t.co/o9n0c0lwkI pic.twitter.com/mvYmhZZCVp
— Dany Sterkhov 🛡✈ (@DanySterkhov) July 25, 2025
It’s worth asking: how helpful are these new safety measures if a video game’s photo mode can be used to trick the system? It’s a reminder that sometimes, the simplest verification methods can be bypassed with a bit of creativity. While the intention behind the law is valid, the execution may need some reconsideration.
Have you tried this yourself or heard about other quirky ways gamers get around online restrictions? I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments below.
