UK Regulator Names Four Age Checks for Proposed Under-16 Social Media Ban

The UK communications regulator, Ofcom, has put forward four methods for checking that social media users are old enough, ahead of a proposed ban for under-16s. It calls them highly effective age assurance. The four methods are photo-ID matching against a live image, banking checks, digital ID services, and facial age estimation. They were narrowed down from seven options first outlined when the Online Safety Act came into force last year, because fewer methods can reliably confirm someone is 16 rather than 18.

Some adults may avoid formal checks if platforms can infer their age from past activity, but Ofcom confirmed that many will still need to verify. Ofcom admitted facial age estimation is not reliable enough alone, as it has a margin of error of a few years, so services may pair it with a second method. The Register also notes that digital ID services were quickly circumvented once the age-checking rules began.

Privacy campaigners have objected. Silkie Carlo of Big Brother Watch called the plan a national ID system by the back door, arguing that it will normalise people handing over passports just to get online. She said both the government and Ofcom have admitted children will find ways around the ban.

This is only the opening of the original report, so further details are not covered here.