Ofcom has published guidance on age assurance methods deemed 'highly effective' ahead of the UK's social media ban for under-16s, which is set to come into force in spring 2027. The regulator's rapid assessment outlines four techniques that could help platforms determine whether a user is aged 16 or over.
Background to the ban
In June 2026, the UK Government announced it would launch a social media ban for those under 16 across Scotland, England, Wales and Northern Ireland, in a bid to "give kids their childhood back". Once implemented, children and young teenagers under 16 will no longer be able to access major platforms such as Snapchat, TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, X and YouTube.
Those aged 16 and 17 will see settings for live streaming and stranger communications while gaming switched off, and will face an online curfew between midnight and 6am. Messaging services such as WhatsApp, as well as safe online services, will remain accessible to all technology users.
Four age assurance methods
Ofcom has outlined four methods capable of being highly effective at determining whether a user is aged 16 or over. Photo ID matching compares information on a document such as a driving licence or passport with a live image of the user captured during the age check. This is estimated to cover 94 per cent of UK residents aged 16 or 17, although evidence suggests around 150,000 in this age range do not have such ID.
Banking-based checks access information from a financial institution, with the user's consent, that holds a record of the user's age, since opening a bank account typically requires a form of ID. Research finds that 90 per cent of 16 and 17-year-olds in the UK hold a bank account.
Digital ID services allow people to prove who they are or provide information about themselves, such as their age, using a photo ID to verify with a digital ID service once. The service can then be reused, reducing the need to access photo ID repeatedly. Facial age estimation analyses the features of a user's face to estimate their age, though some technologies have a margin of error of a few years at 16. To combat this, services should take a 'challenge age' approach and use age verification as a second check.
Bypass risks and enforcement
While Ofcom stresses that some children will likely succeed in bypassing age checks, it is up to social media platforms to implement the checks in full. In cases where under-16s do bypass the checks, platforms are urged to enable features that allow other users to easily report suspected underage accounts. Applying age inference models that analyse a user's online behaviour to estimate their age could also be beneficial.
Ofcom adds that while the age checks will involve processing personal data, the methods can be delivered in a way that protects the user's privacy and complies with data protection laws. Those aged 16 and 17 without a photo ID will need to take the required steps to obtain one.
Ofcom's chief executive Dame Melanie Dawes said: "This ban will shape the future of children's lives online, so it's important to get it right. It can work if social media firms do highly effective age checks properly, and we've set out ways that could be achieved. When it comes into force next year, we'll be ready to take swift and firm action against any company that fails to comply."
She added: "We should expect that motivated children will seek to bypass the restrictions – just like alcohol laws can't completely eradicate underage drinking – but there'll be ways for platforms to mitigate this risk. This will be a huge cultural shift for our society, so it'll take time to adjust, and everyone will have a part to play."
