The UK’s telecommunications regulator Ofcom has released guidance on age verification techniques ahead of a planned social media ban for users under 16. The ban, scheduled to commence in March, will apply to ten major platforms including Instagram, TikTok, and Snapchat. Ofcom has identified four approaches it considers most effective for determining user ages: photo ID matching, financial institution-based checks, facial age estimation technology, and digital identity services. The regulator emphasized that while these methods should preserve privacy and protect user data, the responsibility for implementation lies with the social media companies themselves.
Age verification below 18 presents distinct challenges in the UK, as individuals in this age group may lack traditional identification documents such as credit cards, full driving licenses, or passports. Additionally, physical appearance cannot reliably indicate age. Some major technology companies, including Meta, have proposed that age verification occur at the device level through app stores, which would shift responsibility to Apple and Google. However, Ofcom stated that this approach would not exempt social media companies from conducting their own verification checks.
Ofcom’s recommendations draw from the regulator’s experience implementing age verification measures for adult content websites. The agency acknowledged that a substantial number of adult accounts would require age confirmation and that some individuals would likely find ways to circumvent the checks. Ofcom CEO Dame Melanie Dawes indicated the regulator would monitor compliance but emphasized that successful implementation requires broader cooperation across multiple stakeholders and industries.
The guidance will now be reviewed by the government, with a final decision expected by year’s end. Child safety organizations, including the NSPCC and Molly Rose Foundation, endorsed Ofcom’s framework while cautioning that lessons from Australia’s similar ban should be incorporated, as many under-16s in Australia have circumvented restrictions. Critics have raised concerns about Ofcom’s enforcement track record regarding the Online Safety Act, questioning the regulator’s capacity to effectively oversee the social media ban’s implementation.
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