Open Rights Group warns of risks linked to proposed UK under-16 social media ban
The Open Rights Group has issued a statement in response to a UK government consultation on restricting social media access for under-16s, raising concerns about the practical consequences of age-based bans and their implications for privacy, data protection, and young people’s ability to participate online.
The statement follows the launch of a public consultation by the UK government on proposals that could introduce a blanket ban on social media use for children under the age of 16, or apply age-rating models similar to those used for films. According to the Open Rights Group, either approach would require extensive age-verification measures to enforce age limits in practice.
In its statement, the organisation notes that platforms would have limited means to restrict access without requiring users to prove their age. It argues that this would likely result in large numbers of users, including 16–17-year-olds and adults, being asked to provide additional personal data to access online communication services.
The Open Rights Group highlights risks associated with age-assurance technologies, which it says often rely on identity documents, facial analysis, or inferred profiling. The statement points to previous data breaches involving age-verification systems, including a 2024 incident affecting Discord, as an example of how sensitive data collected for age checks can be exposed. It adds that regulation of age-assurance technologies remains limited, despite earlier calls for stronger oversight.
The organisation also addresses proposed amendments in the House of Lords to the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill. According to the statement, one amendment would extend age-based restrictions beyond social media platforms to include social functions of online games and services such as WhatsApp and Wikipedia. The Open Rights Group notes that this scope would go further than similar measures tested in other countries, including Australia.
From the perspective set out in the statement, blanket bans or rigid age-rating systems could disproportionately affect certain groups of young people and restrict their ability to communicate and access information online. The organisation refers to international human rights standards recognising children’s rights to freedom of expression and participation, as well as principles requiring that children be consulted when decisions affect their rights.
The statement also outlines alternative regulatory approaches suggested by the Open Rights Group. These focus on platform design and business practices, rather than access restrictions, including stronger enforcement of data protection law for children, limits on profiling and targeted advertising, greater transparency around data use, and increased user control over recommendation systems and moderation tools.
