Platforms might need safeguards beyond age checks for UK social media ban, Ofcom says
By Imogen Howse ( October 29, 2026, 12:24 GMT | Insight) -- Social media platforms may need safeguards beyond age checks if the UK's planned ban for under-16s is to work effectively, the online safety regulator said in an assessment published Thursday. These could include systems that infer age from users' behavior to identify children who have bypassed initial checks, as well as mechanisms for reporting suspected underage accounts. Ofcom's preliminary findings will inform parliamentary debate on implementing the ban, expected to take effect in March 2027.Platforms may need safeguards beyond age checks for the UK's planned under-16s social media ban to work effectively, the country's online safety regulator said in an assessment published on Thursday....
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