Ofcom names four age checks for 16-year-olds ahead of UK social media ban

Ofcom has told the UK government that social media firms have four highly effective ways to confirm a user is 16 or older: facial age estimation, selfie-to-photo-ID matching, reusable digital ID and bank-based checks. The assessment supports Parliament's consideration of an under-16 social media ban and notes that about 150,000 16- and 17-year-olds lack a passport or driving licence. If adopted, routine access to online platforms would depend on biometric or identity verification, normalising identity-linked access to everyday digital life.