ICO and Ofcom issue guidance on age assurance and online safety
UK regulators provide practical advice for implementing age assurance technologies responsibly.
The Information Commissioner’s Office and Ofcom have issued a joint statement outlining how age assurance measures should align with online safety and data protection requirements.
A guidance that focuses on protecting children from harm online instead of treating safety and privacy as separate obligations, reflecting closer coordination between the two regulators.
The statement is directed at digital services likely to be accessed by children and falling within the scope of the Online Safety Act and UK data protection laws.
It provides a practical overview of existing policies, helping organisations understand how to meet both regulatory frameworks while implementing age assurance technologies.
Rather than introducing new rules, the guidance clarifies how current requirements interact in practice. It highlights the importance of designing systems that both verify users’ ages and safeguard personal data, ensuring that safety measures do not undermine privacy protections.
The approach encourages organisations to integrate compliance into service design instead of addressing obligations separately.
By aligning regulatory expectations, the ICO and Ofcom aim to support organisations in delivering safer online environments for children while maintaining strong data protection standards.
The joint effort signals a broader move towards coordinated digital regulation, where safety and privacy are addressed together to reflect the complexities of modern online services.
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