Ofcom has outlined several methods that social media services could use to verify whether users are aged 16 or over. The options include checks involving photographs, digital identity documents, banking information and facial age estimation.
The approaches are intended to help platforms establish a user’s age rather than relying solely on information supplied when an account is created. Ofcom said photo and digital ID checks could be used as evidence of a person’s age, while banking checks could provide another way of verifying eligibility.
Facial age estimation is also included among the possible methods. This would involve using facial information to estimate whether someone has reached the age threshold, although the supplied details do not explain how such systems would operate or how they would be implemented.
The age of 16 is the specific threshold identified by Ofcom. No individual social media platforms, implementation timetable or formal response from technology companies was provided in the available material.
