UK Regulators Demand Stronger Age Checks on Social Platforms

British regulators have issued urgent demands to major social media platforms, requiring them to strengthen age verification systems to prevent children under 13 from accessing services intended for older users. The Information Commissioner's Office and Ofcom, the UK's communications watchdog, announced the measures on Thursday, citing widespread failures in enforcing minimum age rules amid rising concerns over harmful online content.

In separate but coordinated actions, the ICO sent an open letter to platforms including TikTok, Snapchat, Meta's Facebook and Instagram, Alphabet's YouTube, and X, formerly Twitter. The letter criticizes self-declaration as the primary age verification method, noting it can be easily circumvented. Officials urged the companies to adopt robust age-assurance technologies, such as facial age estimation, digital IDs, or one-time photo matching, to accurately identify users under 13. "There's now modern technology at your fingertips, so there is no excuse," said Paul Arnold, chief executive of the ICO.

Ofcom, enforcing the UK's Online Safety Act, wrote to the same platforms plus Roblox, setting a deadline of April 30 for them to provide evidence of...