What The Online Safety Act Is – BBC
• Platforms will need to verify age before allowing access by under‑13s from September 2025
• Ofcom calls it a major milestone for children’s online protection
• Some campaigners argue the measures still fall short, urging stronger enforcement
In response to the Online Safety Act 2023, the UK’s communications regulator Ofcom has confirmed that from September 2025 platforms will be required to implement age verification for users under 13. This is part of wider efforts to prevent children from accessing harmful content such as suicide, self‑harm or adult material.
Ofcom’s chief executive described the upcoming requirement as a watershed moment in shielding minors online. The mandate instructs platforms to carry out effective age checks, aiming to restrict access without necessarily collecting identifiable personal data.
Despite this move, some campaigners—including bereaved families affected by tragedies linked to online exposure—are critical. They suggest the regulator is not pushing hard enough, pointing to gaps in enforcement and provisions for “legal but harmful” content that still may reach vulnerable users.
Ofcom has stated it will assess the effectiveness of each platform’s approach to age assurance and is prepared to expand its role if Parliament broadens the scope to cover misinformation or addictive design practices.
The regulations are expected to come into force by 25 July 2025, aligning with previous roll‑outs of age checks for broader categories of harmful content under the same Act.
How To Engage
- Check whether the online services your children use will implement age assurance from September
- Encourage platforms to adopt transparent, privacy‑respecting verification methods
- Follow parliamentary activity or regulatory reviews regarding enforcement and scope of protections