As UK politicians push forward with plans to ban under-16s from social media in 2027, a senior industry figure has sounded the alarm over the effectiveness of these measures without stricter age-check standards. Robin Tombs, CEO of digital identity firm Yoti, warns that unless ministers introduce clear minimum requirements for verification, younger teenagers may continue to evade restrictions.
The proposed ban, announced by Labour leader Keir Starmer, aims to enhance online safety for children by limiting features such as livestreaming and direct communication with strangers. However, the key detail of age verification remains unresolved – a challenge that has dogged similar initiatives abroad. In Australia, where a similar ban came into force last year, concerns have been raised over continued access by teenagers.
Mr. Tombs' company supplies age assurance technology to major platforms like TikTok and Meta, but he believes the government's current stance risks market fragmentation. Without clear standards, children will seek out the weakest links in the verification system, undermining the policy's goals. He draws on Australia's experience to argue that effective age checks for 16-year-olds are achievable, provided expectations are not set unrealistically high.
A multi-faceted approach to age verification is advocated by Yoti, combining facial age estimation with alternative methods such as digital identity wallets or document checks. However, civil liberties organisations have raised concerns over the expansion of age verification, which could necessitate millions of users providing sensitive data online. Mr. Tombs distinguishes between verifying someone's age and their full identity, arguing that the former does not require the latter.