Millions face ID checks under UK social media ban as Ofcom warns of loopholes
Millions of British social media users could be forced to verify their age using passports or facial scans under new proposals from Ofcom, as the regulator prepares to enforce the government’s ban on under-16s.
The watchdog on Thursday identified four methods it considers sufficiently reliable to determine whether users are aged 16 or over, ahead of the restrictions coming into force in March.
The proposals would affect some of the UK’s biggest social media platforms, including Instagram, Tiktok and Snapchat, with many adult users also likely to face checks before continuing to access their accounts.
Ofcom said photo ID matching, banking-based checks, digital ID services and facial age estimation could all meet its standards, although it acknowledged that some children would inevitably find ways around the restrictions.
“This ban will shape the future of children’s lives online, so it’s important to get it right”, said Ofcom chief executive Dame Melanie Dawes.
“When it comes into force next year, we’ll be ready to take swift and firm action against any company that fails to comply”.
Millions face age checks
The recommendations expose the practical difficulties facing tech firms as they prepare to distinguish 15-year-olds from 16-year-olds.
Ofcom warned that some facial age estimation systems can be inaccurate by several years, meaning platforms may need to request additional identification from users whose ages cannot be reliably determined.
The regulator suggested adopting an approach similar to retailers’ Challenge 25 policy, requiring further proof of age where uncertainty remains.
Around 150,000 British 16- and 17-year-olds are estimated to have neither a passport nor a driving licence, potentially forcing some teenagers to obtain identification to retain their accounts.
Meanwhile, roughly 90 per cent of people in that age group have a bank account, offering another route to verification.
Georgina Graham, a partner at law firm Osborne Clarke, said: “Requirements to implement highly effective age assurance and to protect user privacy are not inherently incompatible. It is completely possible to do both”.
However, she warned that differing rules across countries could complicate compliance for technology firms operating internationally.
The recommendations will now be considered by ministers, who are expected to publish detailed regulations before the end of the year.
Platforms face enforcement challenge
The proposals come amid concerns that Britain’s ban could suffer the same problems as Australia’s restrictions, where children have continued accessing social media despite being prohibited from doing so.
Ofcom acknowledged that circumvention could not be eliminated entirely, but said platforms should introduce measures to detect underage accounts and allow users to report suspected breaches.
Research from EE found that 42 per cent of young people plan to get around the ban by moving to apps outside its scope, while 44 per cent have already discussed alternatives with friends.
Andy Lulham, chief operating officer at age verification firm VerifyMy, said the challenge would be particularly acute for teenagers.
“Estimation needs a threshold built in, and the borderline cases are a genuine trade-off between the occasional 15-year-old getting through and some 16-year-olds being turned away”, he said.
Ofcom also turned its attention to app stores, warning that their reliance on users declaring their own ages offered insufficient protection.
Its research found that three-quarters of children who use the internet primarily access it through apps downloaded from app stores.
Tech companies like Meta have previously argued that age checks should be conducted at device or app-store level, shifting some responsibility towards Apple and Google.
However, Ofcom insisted that social media platforms would remain responsible for meeting their own legal obligations, regardless of additional safeguards introduced elsewhere.