The UK government has announced plans to expand its age verification rules to cover social media account creation. Under the proposed rules, platforms like Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Facebook, X, and Snapchat would be required to confirm users are over 16 before allowing them to sign up. To prove their age, users could submit a government-issued ID, complete a facial age estimation scan, use a credit card check, or go through a third-party age verification service. The consultation on exact requirements closed in May 2026, and no implementation date has been set yet.
The move builds on the UK’s Online Safety Act, which already requires adult content sites to verify users’ ages. Privacy advocates have raised concerns about the amount of biometric and identity data these checks would require platforms — and their verification partners — to collect and store. Anyone in the UK who uses social media should watch for official platform announcements about when and how verification will be required, and be cautious of any third-party sites claiming to pre-register you or “reserve” your account.