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Social Media: Children

Asked by Ian ByrneLabourDepartment for Science, Innovation and TechnologyTabled Answered 23 June 2026UIN 10247

The question

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what measures are being taken to ensure age verification on social media platforms is effective in preventing their usage by under-16s.

Answered by Kanishka Narayan

Age assurance technologies play a critical role in protecting children online.

The Secretary of State has asked Ofcom to launch a rapid assessment of what constitutes highly effective age assurance for establishing whether someone is over 16, as part of the announcement to ban social media companies from offering their services to under 16s.

In its assessment, Ofcom will consider how age assurance can be highly effective while avoiding excluding users without passports and driving licenses. This assessment will also prioritise data protection in the context of age assurance.

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