The UK prepares for an age-gated social media ecosystem for under-16s

Today, the UK’s social media regulator Ofcom published new findings that identify four methods it believes could be highly effective in verifying whether social media users are aged 16 or over.

The methods include photo ID matching, digital identity services, banking-based checks and facial age estimation. It's an important development as the UK prepares to introduce restrictions on social media access for under-16s next year.

Ofcom has also published research examining how app stores could play a greater role in protecting children online, and committed to monitoring how young people circumvent restrictions once they come into force.

These are significant steps towards implementing what could become one of the most consequential changes to social media in its history.

At Raise, we believe there's a bigger question we need to keep asking: are we making social media safer for children, or simply making it harder for them to access?

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Age verification is only part of the solution

Effective age verification is important. Without it, age-based restrictions are difficult to enforce, and platforms have limited ability to provide genuinely age-appropriate experiences. But verifying someone's age doesn't automatically make their online experience safer.

It doesn't address addictive platform features, harmful algorithmic recommendations, online bullying, inappropriate content or the growing risks associated with AI-powered interactions.

These are issues that affect young people regardless of whether they are 13, 15 or 17 years old.

At Raise, we've consistently argued for stronger protections for young people online, including restrictions on harmful features and content, better digital education and greater accountability for technology companies.

We believe the priority should be creating safer digital environments, not simply restricting access to them.

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What happens when users go elsewhere?

One of the most important aspects of Ofcom's announcement is its commitment to researching how children circumvent the new restrictions.This matters enormously, as young people aren't going to stop socialising online because a particular platform becomes unavailable to them.

Instead, and this has come through clearly in the research and focus groups that Raise has carried out, we expect to see activity migrate towards private messaging services, gaming communities, smaller social platforms and emerging technologies that fall outside the scope of the restrictions.

Understanding this, and how under-16s will contribute to this new emerging ecosystem fully, will be vital. Knowing if and when they themselves build a new set of communities, vibe-coded or adapted from whatever they can get their hands on, will be key to building safe spaces for them long into the future. 

We welcome this work from Ofcom and look forward to contributing further to the debate and to the fabric of a safer social media experience for everyone.