Social Media: Age Assurance
The question
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps the department is taking to ensure that age verification measures implemented by social media apps such as snapchat in response to the Online Safety Act 2023 are effective.
Answered by Kanishka Narayan
As the regulator, Ofcom is responsible for the implementation and enforcement of the Online Safety Act. Ofcom has set out in guidance that age assurance technologies should fulfil the four criteria of technical accuracy, robustness, reliability, and fairness to be considered highly effective.
Ofcom is set to publish reports on age assurance and the use of app stores by children by July 2026 and January 2027 respectively. The public consultation on protecting children online will also seek views on strengthening age assurance measures. Where evidence demonstrates further action is necessary to protect children online, we will not hesitate to act.
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