Social Media: Children
Commons · Question 14664 · Tabled 30 Jun 2026 · Department for Science, Innovation and Technology · Official record
Answered 8 Jul 2026
Question
Asked by Scott Arthur
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what assessment she has made of the potential risks of age verification methods involving facial or biometric data to enforce a social media ban for under-16s.
Answer
Answered by Kanishka Narayan, 8 Jul 2026
I have asked Ofcom to rapidly assess what constitutes highly effective age assurance for establishing whether someone is over 16, prioritising data privacy and security, and considering how it can work for all users.The ICO’s age-appropriate design code a...