UK to Mandate Facial Recognition for Age Verification on Social Media

New regulations will require tech firms to remove underage users or face steep fines and potential prison sentences for executives.

The UK's Ofcom plans to enforce facial recognition and other age verification technologies to identify and remove underage social media users.
Research indicates that 60% of UK children aged 8-11 have social media accounts, often lying about their age to access platforms with a minimum age of 13.
Under the Online Safety Act, companies failing to comply could face fines of up to 10% of their global turnover and prison sentences for executives in severe cases.
The measures aim to protect children from harmful content, including violence, pornography, and online abuse, while holding tech firms accountable for user safety.
Tech companies have implemented age-checking tools like ID scans and AI-based facial estimation, but Ofcom's data suggests these measures have been largely ineffective so far.