Key facts
- Over 100,000 British teenagers risk being locked out of social media if they lack a passport or driving license.
- Ofcom estimates about 150,000 16- to 17-year-olds do not own a passport or driving license.
- The ban for under-16s is due to come into force next spring.
- Ofcom is assessing age verification methods including ID checks, bank verification, digital ID services, and selfie-based age estimation.
More than 100,000 British teenagers may be unable to access social media services next year if they do not possess a passport or driving license when a ban for under-16s is introduced. Ofcom, the UK's online safety regulator, is assessing age verification methods for the ban, which is expected to come into force next spring. The watchdog estimates that around 150,000 individuals aged 16 to 17 lack the required identification, potentially excluding them from platforms like Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube. Ofcom is considering methods such as ID checks, bank verification, digital IDs, and facial age estimation, though official ID may serve as a backstop due to potential inaccuracies in age estimation technology.