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The country plans to introduce this technology to prevent children under 16 from accessing social media platforms. The initiative, to be unveiled by the UK communications regulator, Ofcom, next month, will require social media platforms to use the technology for accurate and effective age verification of users.
In an interview with The Telegraph, John Heagham, head of online safety policy at the regulatory body, explained that platforms will be required to remove millions of child accounts through precise age checks. He emphasized that this approach will be "highly accurate" in determining the ages of users.
Under the new plan, major tech companies will face hefty fines, potentially reaching billions of pounds, if they fail to implement safeguards to protect children from harmful content such as pornography, violence, and child sexual abuse imagery.
Estimates suggest that around 60% of children aged 8 to 11 have social media accounts, despite platforms requiring a minimum age of 13. Studies show that about 22% of children use the internet with fake ages, highlighting the need for more effective identity verification technologies.
Ofcom is preparing to issue guidelines for companies on how to ensure no minors are using their platforms, emphasizing that age estimation technologies, like face recognition, will be an effective solution to distinguish children from adults.
Under the Online Safety Bill, Ofcom has the authority to impose fines of up to 10% of global company revenues if they fail to protect children from online harm. Executives could also face penalties, including prison sentences, for continued violations.
This move is part of the UK government’s ongoing efforts to impose stricter controls on unsafe internet use among children, particularly in light of the growing use of social media.