Story perspectives

Regulators Demand Stronger Age Verification from Social Media

3/12/2026

Summary

Story summary

Office of Communications (Ofcom) and the Information Commissioner's Office urge platforms to strengthen age verification to protect children.
They criticize Meta and TikTok for inadequate safety measures and easy self-declaration bypass.
Regulators cite findings that children face harmful content shortly after account creation.
Ofcom will report platform responses in May and may enforce actions.
Roblox says it has implemented more than 140 safety features, including mandatory age checks.

History

Historical Context

The UK's Online Safety Bill, introduced in 2021, aimed to enhance user protection, particularly for children, by mandating age verification on platforms like Meta and TikTok. This initiative follows the Digital Economy Act 2017, which sought similar measures but was abandoned in 2019 due to public backlash. The Online Safety Act 2023, effective July 25, 2025, reflects ongoing efforts to hold tech companies accountable for safeguarding minors online.

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Story summary

Office of Communications (Ofcom) and the Information Commissioner's Office urge platforms to strengthen age verification to protect children.
They criticize Meta and TikTok for inadequate safety measures and easy self-declaration bypass.
Regulators cite findings that children face harmful content shortly after account creation.
Ofcom will report platform responses in May and may enforce actions.
Roblox says it has implemented more than 140 safety features, including mandatory age checks.

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