UK's Social Media Ban for Under-16s Forces Platforms Into Age Checks

Britain's 15 June ban on social media for under-16s moves beyond voluntary efforts to legally enforceable rules, with Ofcom able to fine platforms up to 10% of their global revenue. Sites must now verify age using documents, device tracking, or third-party checkers—each raising privacy concerns under UK data law. What remains unsettled: whether the ban covers all features or just feeds, how messaging apps fit, and who pays when age verification fails.