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Thu, 12 Mar 2026

Thu, 12 Mar 2026 Social media firms asked to toughen up age checks for under-13s

Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok, YouTube and Roblox are among the platforms UK regulators say aren't putting children's safety at the heart of their products.

* UK regulators Ofcom and ICO have asked major tech companies to implement more robust age checks for under-13s
* Current self-reporting method is "easily circumvented" allowing underage children to access services not designed for them
* Regulators want firms to use "highly-effective age checks", currently only required by law for over-18 content like pornography
* Companies contacted include Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok, YouTube, Roblox and X
* Each company has defended their current safeguards, with some citing existing measures or plans to implement new ones
* Regulators are focusing on the handling of young children's data and the need for companies to have a lawful basis for processing it
* Technology Secretary Liz Kendall says no platform will get a "free pass" when it comes to protecting children