The UK government is preparing regulations by the end of the year that will likely mirror Australia's restrictions on apps like TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, and X. To comply, platforms will rely on age-check methods such as bank verification, digital identity services, and official IDs matched with live selfies. However, Ofcom chief executive Dame Melanie Dawes warned that motivated children will attempt to bypass the rules. Previous data from Australia demonstrated that a substantial portion of underage users managed to retain their accounts despite equivalent bans.
Key points
Older teenagers who lack official identity documents risk being locked out of platforms d…: Older teenagers who lack official identity documents risk being locked out of platforms due to verification flaws.
The UK ban takes effect next spring and is anticipated to cover major networks like YouTu…: The UK ban takes effect next spring and is anticipated to cover major networks like YouTube, TikTok, and X.
Enforcing strict age boundaries presents operational hurdles because determined children…: Enforcing strict age boundaries presents operational hurdles because determined children often circumvent mandatory online checks.
Sources checked by our analysis pipeline: 1
More than 100,000 British teenagers risk being locked out of social media in the UK if they do not have a passport or driving licence when an under-16 ban is introduced next year.
Ofcom, the UK’s online watchdog, said about 150,000 16 to 17-year-olds do not own a passport or driving licence, which are likely to be needed to access age-restricted platforms.
The Australia-style ban on under-16s accessing social media services including Instagram, TikTok and YouTube is due to come into force next spring.
The head of Ofcom, Dame Melanie Dawes, warned that “motivated children” will seek to bypass the restrictions, as has been the case in Australia.
On Thursday, Ofcom published an assessment of age verification measures that could underpin the ban, outlining four “highly effective” methods: checking a person’s official ID against a live selfie, a bank verifying an account holder’s age, an official digital ID service like the Young Scot card, or estimating someone’s age via a selfie.
However, the watchdog said a form of official ID will probably be needed as a “backstop” for other methods,…
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