Shortlist of age checks for the UK's under-16 social media ban is out, 'some' adults will need verifying
Some adults may not need to prove it, but many will
The UK's communications regulator, Ofcom, has outlined four methods for verifying the ages of users on social media platforms, known as highly effective age assurance (HEAA), in preparation for a proposed ban on under-16 users. Some adults may not need to prove their age, but many are likely to undergo verification. Ofcom acknowledges that not all 16-year-olds have a form of photo ID and estimates that around 94 percent of 16-17-year-olds in the UK have one.
The methods include photo-ID matching, banking checks, digital ID services, and facial age estimation. However, Ofcom also admits that the risk of circumvention cannot be entirely eliminated, as children will find ways to bypass these age checks. The regulator plans to monitor this closely and adopt measures to counter it.
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