Ofcom has identified four age assurance methods that social media companies could use to enforce the UK’s planned ban on under-16s using social media.
The regulator said photo ID matching, digital ID services, banking-based checks and facial age estimation can all provide “highly effective” age checks for users aged 16 and over.
The government plans to publish detailed regulations before the end of 2026, with Ofcom consulting on guidance for technology firms before the ban comes into force next year.
The regulator said photo ID matching compares a user’s live image with a passport or driving licence, while banking-based checks verify age using information held by a financial institution. Digital ID services allow users to prove their age digitally after completing an initial identity check, and facial age estimation uses AI to estimate a person’s age from their facial features.
Ofcom noted that some facial age estimation tools have a margin of error, so platforms should use a “challenge age” approach and ask users for further proof if the technology cannot confidently determine they are over 16.
The regulator also warned that some children will inevitably bypass age checks, but said platforms should introduce measures to reduce this risk, including allowing users to report suspected underage accounts and using age inference technology to identify potential breaches after registration.
Dame Melanie Dawes, chief executive of Ofcom, 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.”
She added: “When it comes into force next year, we’ll be ready to take swift and firm action against any company that fails to comply.”
Alongside the assessment, Ofcom published a separate report urging app stores to strengthen their own age verification processes. The regulator found that most app stores still rely on users self-declaring their age, despite three-quarters of children who use the internet saying downloaded apps provide their main route online.
Ofcom said app stores could play a bigger role in protecting children, although responsibility for complying with the new rules will remain with social media platforms.
