Use of Age Assurance Report 2026

UK — Ofcom · 2026-07-15 · UK · verified record

Themes: Child safety & minors

Ecosystems: UK Online Safety Act

In just one year, age checks are being deployed at an unprecedented scale, ensuring the UK is at the forefront of global efforts to make online experiences safer for children, but the job is not done. As the UK prepares to introduce a social media ban for under 16s, more action from the tech industry is needed to further strengthen protections for children across the system. This report assesses how sites and apps use age checks to protect children from online harm Many online services are now required to use highly effective age assurance to determine whether users are aged 18 or over to comp

In just one year, age checks are being deployed at an unprecedented scale, ensuring the UK is at the forefront of global efforts to make online experiences safer for children, but the job is not done. As the UK prepares to introduce a social media ban for under 16s, more action from the tech industry is needed to further strengthen protections for children across the system. This report assesses how sites and apps use age checks to protect children from online harm Many online services are now required to use highly effective age assurance to determine whether users are aged 18 or over to comp…

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