UK social media ban may lock out more than 100,000 teenagers without ID
Summary
A UK ban on social media use by children under 16 is expected to begin next spring. Ofcom says about 150,000 people aged 16 to 17 lack a passport or driving licence and could face difficulty proving their age to access restricted platforms.Key Facts
- Ofcom identified four age-check methods: matching official ID to a live selfie, bank age verification, an official digital ID service, and estimating age from a selfie.
- Ofcom said official photo ID may be needed as a backup for other age checks.
- The UK government has not confirmed which platforms the ban will cover; it is expected to include the services named in Australia’s ban.
- Ofcom chief executive Dame Melanie Dawes said some children are likely to try to bypass the restrictions.
- The government is expected to introduce regulations confirming the ban by the end of the year.
- Ofcom has opened a consultation on age verification methods and plans to issue guidance on which measures platforms should use.
- In a survey of 900 Australian parents, about one-third said their children still had at least one social media account after the ban, compared with 49% before it.
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