Ofcom outlines ways social media can verify ages of users
Summary
Ofcom recommended four methods social media companies could use to check whether UK users meet the age limit under a planned ban on access for under-16s. The measures require government approval, and platforms must choose and implement checks that protect privacy and personal data.Key Facts
- The UK ban is due to take effect in March next year and would block under-16s from ten major platforms, including Instagram, TikTok and Snapchat.
- Ofcom named photo ID matching, bank-based checks, facial age estimation and digital ID services as methods it considers highly effective.
- The regulator said social media companies remain responsible for carrying out age checks, even if app stores verify users’ ages at the device level.
- Meta and other technology companies have advocated device-level checks, while Apple has already introduced age verification in the UK.
- Ofcom said many adults may also have to show they are not under 16, but it has not estimated how many accounts would be affected.
- The regulator acknowledged that age checks cannot prevent all circumvention and some children may bypass them.
- Ofcom said its recommendations draw on its experience introducing age checks for pornographic websites.
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