Ofcom proposes four age-check methods ahead of UK under-16 social media ban

Ofcom has recommended four ways social media companies could check whether users are over 16, as the UK prepares to bar younger children from ten major platforms from March 2027. The proposed methods include checking photo ID against a live image, using age information held by banks, estimating age from a person’s face and verifying age through digital identity services.

The recommendations are subject to government approval, with a decision expected by the end of the year. The rules would put the onus on social media companies to choose and operate checks that meet the requirements.

Ofcom chief executive Dame Melanie Dawes said the regulator wanted to avoid prescribing a single approach. Drawing on its experience with age checks for pornography sites, she told the BBC that rigid requirements had not worked in other countries. Any system, she said, must protect people’s privacy and data.

Checking the ages of 16- and 17-year-olds poses particular challenges, Ofcom says: they may not have a passport, full driving licence or credit card, and appearance alone can be misleading. The BBC reported that many adults may also have to prove they are old enough, although Ofcom has not given a firm estimate of how many accounts would be affected.

The government’s planned ban is expected to cover services including Instagram, TikTok and Snapchat. The full list of platforms has not been announced. The article says messaging services such as WhatsApp and Signal are not included, while restrictions on livestreaming and contact with strangers are also planned for under-16s.

The policy follows Australia’s under-16 social media ban, introduced in 2025. The BBC reports that some children there have found ways around the restrictions. Ofcom has also acknowledged that age checks cannot eliminate circumvention entirely, and that some children may bypass them.

Social media companies have warned that a ban could push children towards less-regulated services. Some have argued for checks at device or app-store level, but Ofcom says platforms would still be responsible for carrying out their own checks.