UK regulators warn platforms to strengthen age assurance measures

The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) and Ofcom have launched a coordinated campaign calling on social media and video-sharing platforms to drastically strengthen age assurance measures. In an open letter to major firms, including TikTok, Snapchat, Meta, Google, and X, the ICO stated that companies must move beyond a reliance on children self-declaring their age. Platforms are expected to utilise readily available technology to enforce minimum age requirements and ensure children receive the privacy protections to which they are entitled.

Meanwhile, Ofcom has issued a formal warning to the industry, highlighting that current age policies are frequently bypassed. New research by the regulator indicates that 72% of children aged 8 to 12 are accessing platforms with a minimum age of 13. While the Online Safety Act 2023 (OSA) has led to the disruption of illegal material and the blocking of high-risk services, Ofcom argues that industry progress remains insufficient and public trust has diminished.

Ofcom has outlined four central demands for online platforms. These include implementing robust age checks, introducing fail-safe protections to prevent strangers from contacting children, and creating safer content feeds. In addition, Ofcom is calling for an end to the practice of testing new products and artificial intelligence (AI) tools on children without prior safety assessments.

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