Timeline
Upcoming events first, then everything since Ofcom's guidance of 16 January 2025, newest first. Each event names its source. Service and vendor names link to their entries.
Coming up
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By end of October 2026 (not published as of 18 October 2026)
Ofcom rapid assessment to Parliament on highly effective age assurance for 16+
Requested alongside the under-16 ban announcement. Every social-media entry on this site is affected by the outcome. Ofcom’s 15 October 2026 industry bulletin lists it as forthcoming without a date.
Regulation · Ofcom
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October 2026 (not published as of 18 October 2026)
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By end of October 2026 (not published as of 18 October 2026)
Ofcom and ICO report on detecting and preventing VPN use around age checks
Announced on 16 July 2026 when the government decided not to limit VPNs. This site will record what the report says; it will not add VPN content. Not mentioned in Ofcom’s 15 October 2026 industry bulletin.
Regulation · Ofcom
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Autumn 2026
Certified digital IDs accepted for alcohol sales in England and Wales
Subject to Parliament approving the amended Mandatory Licensing Conditions. The same vendors (Yoti, Post Office EasyID) are involved.
Government · Biometric Update
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By end of 2026
Under-16 social media regulations laid under section 214A
Regulations promised before Christmas 2026.
Government · gov.uk
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January 2027
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Spring 2027
Under-16 social media restrictions targeted to come into force
The largest change to UK age checks since July 2025.
Government · gov.uk
What has happened
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Ofcom’s October 2026 industry bulletin lists the 16+ assessment, app-store report and under-16 guidance as still to come
The bulletin says the rapid assessment “will set out the age assurance methods we consider could be capable of being highly effective at 16”, that a report on children’s use of app stores is due “in due course”, and that Ofcom will consult on guidance once draft under-16 regulations are published; no dates are given. It also points providers to a new “vet your vendor” resource for due diligence on third-party age-assurance vendors.
Regulation · Ofcom
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First Time Videos LLC investigation closed after the £80,000 penalty was paid
The section 81 investigation closed; the provider blocked UK IP addresses and told Ofcom it will implement highly effective age assurance, and Ofcom says it will continue to monitor. The same day Ofcom published a non-confidential Confirmation Decision issued to the provider of xgroovy.com on 29 September 2026.
Enforcement · Ofcom enforcement programme
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Provisional notices of contravention issued to Porntrex and Web Prime Inc
Section 130 notices alleging breaches of section 12 (highly effective age assurance), each with a provisional finding of failure to respond to a statutory information request under section 102(8). Published 30 September 2026.
Enforcement · Ofcom enforcement programme
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Ofcom opens an investigation into Aylo’s Apple-signal age check on Pornhub
Ofcom is examining whether the process introduced in May 2026, which relies on Apple signals that UK iOS and iPadOS users may have completed Apple’s age checks, is highly effective, and whether Aylo did sufficient due diligence and testing before adopting it (sections 12 and 36). Ofcom says it will not make a determination on how Apple operates its age checks. Published 23 September 2026; case CW/01358/09/26.
Enforcement · Ofcom
https://www.ofcom.org.uk/online-safety/protecting-children/investigation-into-aylos-compliance-with-the-duty-to-prevent-children-from-encountering-pornographic-content-through-the-use-of-age-assurance· Pornhub, YouPorn, RedTube, Apple devices · Apple -
Discord launches account-signal age groups worldwide, except the UK and Australia
Discord’s blog: every account is placed in an adult, teen or unconfirmed group from account signals and “more than 90% of you will not be asked to confirm your age”. “The age estimation model is not currently available for Discord users in the UK and Australia”, which keep the existing confirm-on-request checks. Confirmation methods: credit card, Apple or Google app-store age range, Google Wallet, AgeKey, on-device video selfie or ID scan, mostly through k-ID.
Service change · Discord blog: Safer for Teens, Same Discord for Adults · Discord · k-ID
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xgroovy.com fined £730,000; provisional decisions issued to Cyberitic and ZD Media
£700,000 plus £30,000.
Enforcement · Ofcom enforcement programme
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Novi Ltd (joi.com) investigation closed
Closed as no longer an administrative priority after age assurance was implemented.
Enforcement · Ofcom
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Ofcom opens a section 12 investigation into TikTok's age inference; government rules out limiting VPNs for now
First update on the TikTok investigation expected around October 2026. Ofcom and the ICO are to report by the end of October 2026 on how platforms can detect and prevent VPN use to reach age-gated content.
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Ofcom publishes its statutory Report on the use of age assurance
More than 69 million checks across a 32-service sample between July and December 2025 (the 32 names are redacted). Facial age estimation the most-offered method, then photo ID. Children encountering highly effective age assurance rose from 25% to 43%. 23 investigations, 7 providers fined, £4.955 million in total. Age inference is not a highly effective method and must be replaced or supplemented without delay.
Regulation · Ofcom
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fapello.com fined £630,000
£600,000 plus £30,000. One research source still lists this investigation as open from 12 May 2026; the fine is recorded from the other. Confirm on Ofcom's register.
Enforcement · Ofcom enforcement programme
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Written statement HCWS160: certified digital IDs to be accepted for alcohol sales
The Mandatory Licensing Conditions are to be amended so that digital IDs certified under the Digital Verification Services framework are accepted, target autumn 2026.
Government · Biometric Update (statement page blocked to the fetcher)
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Hinge: new UK accounts complete a Face Check video selfie for age estimation
Hinge’s help page (updated 29 September 2026): new users in the UK complete a biometric Face Check scan with a video selfie; three audit images from it are analysed to estimate whether the user is 18 or over, and an ID check may follow. “For UK users with accounts created before 25 June 2026, Hinge performed a similar age estimation process on a profile photo containing the user’s face.”
Service change · Hinge Help: Age Checks at Hinge · Hinge
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Investigation opened into Bit Hive (eporner)
Part 5 age-assurance investigation.
Enforcement · Ofcom enforcement programme
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Government announces a social media ban for under-16s
Named: Snapchat, TikTok, YouTube, Instagram, Facebook and X. Messaging apps such as WhatsApp and Signal excluded. Regulations to be laid before the end of 2026, in force in spring 2027.
Government · gov.uk · Snapchat, TikTok, YouTube, X and Grok, Instagram, Facebook, WhatsApp
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PlayStation's UK and Ireland age check becomes mandatory for chat, parties and broadcasting
Mobile contract check, facial estimation or ID through Yoti. FAQ updated this date.
Service change · PlayStation support · PlayStation · Yoti
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Youngtek Solutions Ltd fined £600,000
£500,000 plus £100,000.
Enforcement · Ofcom enforcement programme
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Ofcom publishes the tech firms’ responses to its 12 March letters
Ofcom’s update on the six services’ replies: on minimum ages it is “not currently convinced” that the commitments by Snapchat, Facebook, Instagram and TikTok “ensure they will effectively prevent children under 13 from accessing their sites and apps”. Meta “sent us a confidential letter” and “has not published its response”; Ofcom records that Meta shared recently announced changes to identify and remove under-13 accounts on Facebook and Instagram using enhanced AI. Ofcom told the Secretary of State that requiring highly effective age assurance to enforce minimum ages “would need a clearer basis in legislation”.
Enforcement · Ofcom: Update: tech firms’ responses to our call for action to protect children (PDF, 21 May 2026) · Instagram, Facebook, Snapchat, TikTok, YouTube, Roblox
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Ofcom consults on a Tier 1 Standards Code for the most watched video-on-demand services
Under Part 4 of the Media Act 2024, Tier 1 services “will be the most watched video on-demand services that meet a threshold of viewership set by Government”. Ofcom’s proposed code includes rules on “protecting the under-eighteens”. The consultation closed with a statement pending as of 18 October 2026; Ofcom’s page does not name services, and no streaming service recorded on this site describes a UK age check.
Regulation · Ofcom: Consultation: Tier 1 Standards Code · Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Disney+
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Tumblr gates mature-labelled content for UK users through k-ID
ID, on-device face scan, bank check (ConnectID) or AgeKey.
Service change · Tumblr changes · Tumblr · k-ID
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Aylo returns for UK iOS users via Apple's device check; Meta announces AI age assurance
Aylo accepts Apple's device-level signal on iOS only. Meta describes age assurance from text and visual signals with correction through Yoti or ID.
Service change · Meta newsroom
https://about.fb.com/news/2026/05/ai-age-assurance-teens· Pornhub, YouPorn, RedTube, Instagram, Facebook · Apple, Yoti -
Children's Wellbeing and Schools Act 2026 receives Royal Assent
Section 70 inserts section 214A into the Online Safety Act: a power for ministers to require providers to prevent or restrict children's access. In force at Royal Assent.
Regulation · legislation.gov.uk
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Ofcom and ICO joint statement on age assurance; Apple's UK device-level age check ships in iOS 26.4
The joint statement says methods must be necessary, effective for the purpose and proportionate to the level of risk. Apple's check uses a credit card, account information or an ID scan; Ofcom welcomed it, the Age Verification Providers Association disputes that it meets the highly-effective standard.
Regulation · Biometric Update · Apple devices · Apple
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4chan fined £520,000
£450,000 for failing to use highly effective age assurance to keep children from pornographic content, £50,000 for the illegal content risk assessment and £20,000 for its terms of service. Each must be put right by 2 April 2026 or daily penalties of £500, £200 and £100 follow, running at most to 1 June 2026. Ofcom’s June 2026 bulletin puts 4chan’s total at £540,000 and says further action may follow should non-compliance continue.
Enforcement · Ofcom: 4chan fined £450,000 for not protecting children from online pornography · 4chan
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Ofcom writes to Facebook, Instagram, Roblox, Snapchat, TikTok and YouTube on minimum ages
Ofcom’s letters ask the six services to enforce their minimum ages with highly effective age assurance and to report back by 30 April 2026; Ofcom said it would report on the responses in May. Ofcom’s own page lists Facebook, Instagram, Roblox, Snapchat, TikTok and YouTube and does not name X, which settles the earlier research conflict.
Enforcement · Ofcom: Keep underage children off your platforms, Ofcom tells tech firms · TikTok, YouTube, Snapchat, Roblox, Instagram, Facebook
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Spanish data protection authority (AEPD) fines Yoti €950,000
Resolution PS/00164/2025 (file EXP202317887): €500,000 under GDPR article 9, €200,000 under article 7 and €250,000 under article 5.1(e), with corrective measures due within six months of the decision becoming final. Yoti’s response of 10 March 2026 says the findings relate to its Digital ID app only and that it is appealing to the Spanish High Court.
Vendor · AEPD resolution PS/00164/2025 (PDF, Spanish) · Yoti
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Government launches the "Growing up in the online world" consultation
Consultation CP 1528 on children's access to social media, closing 26 May 2026.
Government · legislation.gov.uk (explanatory note)
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ICO fines Reddit £14.47 million; Discord drops Persona and delays its global rollout
ICO: no lawful basis for under-13 data, no data protection impact assessment before January 2025, self-declaration only until July 2025. Discord ends its Persona trial after a researcher reported an exposed Persona front end and moves to k-ID and Veratad.
Enforcement · Osborne Clarke summary (ICO page blocked to the fetcher) · Reddit, Discord · Persona, k-ID, Veratad
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8579 LLC fined £1,400,000
£1,350,000 under section 12 plus £50,000, with £1,000 a day until compliant.
Enforcement · Ofcom enforcement programme
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Kick Online Entertainment S.A. (motherless.com) fined £830,000
£800,000 under section 12 plus £30,000; non-compliance from 25 July to 29 December 2025. Not the Kick streaming service.
Enforcement · Ofcom enforcement programme
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Aylo blocks new UK users
Existing verified accounts keep access; new UK visitors are blocked (an iOS route returned on 5 May 2026).
Service change · CNN
https://www.cnn.com/2026/02/02/uk/uk-pornography-restricted-access-intl· Pornhub, YouPorn, RedTube -
Investigation opened into Novi Ltd (joi.com)
Under sections 12 and 36. Closed on 31 July 2026 after age assurance was implemented.
Enforcement · Ofcom
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Ofcom opens an investigation into X over Grok imagery, including its age assurance
The investigation covers whether X used highly effective age assurance.
Enforcement · Ofcom · X and Grok
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Roblox requires an age check to use chat, worldwide
Persona facial age estimation or ID.
Service change · Roblox newsroom · Roblox · Persona
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House of Lords debate: children, age verification and virtual private networks
Debate on whether further measures on VPNs are needed. The Hansard page was not readable by this site's fetcher; listed from the research index.
Government · Hansard
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Ofcom expands the 4chan investigation to the duty to use highly effective age assurance
Ofcom adds whether 4chan “has failed, or is failing, to comply with its duties under section 12 of the Act”, which requires services that allow pornographic content to use highly effective age verification or age estimation to prevent children encountering it. A provisional notice followed on 12 February 2026 and the confirmation decision on 19 March 2026.
Enforcement · Ofcom: Investigation into 4chan and its compliance with duties to protect its users from illegal content · 4chan
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AVS Group Ltd (18 sites) fined £1,050,000
£1,000,000 under section 12 plus £50,000, with £1,000 a day from 6 December 2025 until compliant.
Enforcement · Ofcom enforcement programme
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Character.AI: age assurance rolling out in the US first, open-ended chat removal from 24 November
Character.AI’s blog: “We have already begun rolling out our new age assurance technology in the US, and that rollout will continue globally in the near future.” and “Starting on Monday, November 24, we will begin removing open-ended chat for under-18 users in the US, with other markets following in short order.” No UK date is given.
Service change · Character.AI blog: An Update On Changes to Our Under-18 Experience · Character.AI · Persona
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Itai Tech Ltd fined £55,000; provisional decisions issued to 8579 LLC and Kick Online Entertainment
£50,000 under section 81 and £5,000 under section 102(8).
Enforcement · Ofcom enforcement programme
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Government: no current plans to ban VPNs
A minister says there are no current plans to ban the use of VPNs but that nothing is off the table.
Government · Press reports (LBC, Yahoo)
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Character.AI announces the end of open-ended chat for under-18s and age assurance with Persona
Character.AI’s blog: “we will be removing the ability for users under 18 to engage in open-ended chat with AI on our platform. This change will take effect no later than November 25.” and “We have built an age assurance model in-house and will be combining it with leading third-party tools including Persona.” Chat time for under-18s was limited to two hours a day in the meantime.
Service change · Character.AI blog: Taking Bold Steps to Keep Teen Users Safe on Character.AI · Character.AI · Persona
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4chan fined £20,000 for ignoring information requests
Confirmation decision: 4chan breached its duty under section 102(8)(a) to comply with a statutory request for information on two occasions. Fixed penalty of £20,000 plus £100 a day for up to 60 days until the illegal content risk assessment record and revenue information were provided. Ofcom describes it as the first penalty of its kind under the Act.
Enforcement · Ofcom: Ofcom issues update on Online Safety Act investigations · 4chan
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Meta extends its AI teen-detection on Instagram to the UK
Meta’s update to its April 2025 post: testing of technology that places accounts it suspects belong to under-18s into Teen Account settings, “even if they list an adult birthday”, expands from the US to the UK, Canada and Australia “starting today”; people placed by mistake can change their settings. Meta’s 5 May 2026 post later said the technology “successfully launched” on Instagram in the UK.
Service change · Meta newsroom: Working With Parents and New Technology to Enroll More Teens Into Teen Accounts (update of 21 September 2025) · Instagram
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House of Lords debate on VPNs and age checks
A minister states that services promoting VPN use to defeat age checks could face enforcement action. The duty in question binds regulated services.
Government · Mishcon de Reya summary
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Steam requires a stored credit card for mature content in the UK
Debit cards are not accepted; the account counts as verified while a valid credit card is stored.
Service change · Game Developer · Steam
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Investigations opened into AVS Group, Kick Online Entertainment, 8579 LLC, Trendio and Duplanto
Part 5 investigations following the 25 July commencement.
Enforcement · Ofcom enforcement programme
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Mumsnet says the Online Safety Act applies to it but the Child Safety Codes do not
A Mumsnet staff (MNHQ) reply in its Site Stuff forum: “Yes, Mumsnet is covered by the Online Safety Act … With regards to the Child Safety Codes (which includes the regulations around age verification), they only apply to sites that are likely to be accessed by children (or sites that host the most potentially harmful content for children - for example porn sites). The Ofcom guidance makes it clear that Mumsnet doesn’t fall into that category”. Mumsnet’s Terms of Use had been updated on 22 July 2025 to say the site is for people aged 18 and over only.
Service change · Mumsnet Talk, Site Stuff: Online Safety Act and Mumsnet · Mumsnet
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Xbox announces UK age verification through Yoti; Telegram launches its UK age-verification bot
Xbox: optional from this date, mandatory in early 2026 for chat, invites, LFG and clubs. Telegram: on-device face scan for the sensitive-content setting, UK only.
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Part 3 children's safety duties in force; enforcement of age checks begins
Highly effective age assurance required for pornography on user-to-user services. Dating apps including Tinder and Grindr begin gating UK users the same day.
Regulation · Ofcom enforcement programme · Tinder, Grindr
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Aylo (Pornhub, YouPorn, RedTube) gates its UK sites
Email estimation, credit card, mobile operator and open banking offered; Google Wallet added 5 August 2025.
Service change · Aylo newsroom
https://www.aylo.com/newsroom/aylo-upgrades-age-assurance-methods-in-united-kingdom/· Pornhub, YouPorn, RedTube -
Reddit's UK age check goes live with Persona
Selfie estimation or photo ID before viewing mature communities.
Service change · Biometric Update · Reddit · Persona
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Bluesky announces UK age assurance through Epic's Kids Web Services
Adult content and direct messages switched off for UK users until a check is completed by credit card, ID or facial estimation.
Service change · Bluesky · Bluesky · Epic Kids Web Services
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Ofcom opens an investigation into 4chan
Ofcom opens an investigation into whether 4chan failed to respond to a statutory information request (sent 14 April 2025, asking for its illegal content risk assessment), to complete and keep a record of that assessment, and to comply with the illegal content safety duties. Case reference CW/01307/06/25.
Enforcement · Ofcom: Investigation into 4chan and its compliance with duties to protect its users from illegal content · 4chan
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First Part 5 age-assurance investigations opened
Ofcom opens investigations into Itai Tech Ltd (Undress.cc) and Score Internet Group.
Enforcement · Ofcom enforcement programme
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Deadline for children's access assessments under Part 3
User-to-user and search services had to assess whether children are likely to access them.
Regulation · Ofcom guidance (PDF)
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Italian data protection authority fines Replika’s operator €5 million; age verification found deficient
The Garante found that until 2 February 2023 Luka Inc. “had not implemented any age verification mechanisms—either at registration or during use of the service—despite having declared that minors were excluded from potential users”, and that “the age verification system currently implemented by the controller continues to be deficient in several respects”. Fine of €5 million and a compliance order; reported by the European Data Protection Board on 21 May 2025.
Enforcement · European Data Protection Board: AI: the Italian Supervisory Authority fines company behind chatbot “Replika” · Replika
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Ofcom fines the provider of OnlyFans £1.05 million
The provider gave Ofcom inaccurate information about the challenge age used in its facial age estimation (20 rather than 23).
Enforcement · Ofcom
https://www.ofcom.org.uk/online-safety/protecting-children/ofcom-fines-provider-of-onlyfans-1.05-million· OnlyFans -
Part 5 duty in force for services publishing their own pornographic content
Providers of such content must use highly effective age assurance from this date.
Regulation · Ofcom guidance (PDF)
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Ofcom publishes its statement on age assurance and the guidance on highly effective age assurance
Seven methods are listed as capable of being highly effective: open banking, photo-ID matching, facial age estimation, mobile-network operator checks, credit card checks, email-based estimation and digital identity services. Self-declaration and payment methods not restricted to adults are not capable.
Regulation · Ofcom guidance (PDF)
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Google receives an ACCS certificate for facial age estimation
Certificate of conformity: age estimation at EAL3, liveness at EAL1, per press reporting of the certificate.
Vendor · Biometric Update · Google
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Epic begins rolling out Cabined Accounts in Fortnite
Epic’s Fortnite post: “Players around the world will see a one-time request for their age when they log into Fortnite. If you are a younger player, your Epic account will be a Cabined Account and you will be asked to provide a parent or guardian’s email address to begin the parental consent process.” Voice and text chat, real-money purchases and other features stay off until a parent consents.
Service change · Fortnite news: How Epic Games Cabined Accounts Work in Fortnite · Epic Games and Fortnite
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Instagram begins testing ID upload, a Yoti video selfie and social vouching for birthday changes
US first, for people editing a date of birth from under 18 to 18 or over. Meta’s updates: social vouching removed and expansion to India and Brazil on 13 October 2022, with a plan to reach the UK and EU before the end of 2022; more European countries, Mexico, Canada, South Korea, Australia and Japan on 2 March 2023. Meta: the ID “is deleted within 30 days”; after a video selfie “Meta and Yoti then delete the image”.
Service change · Meta newsroom: Introducing New Ways to Verify Age on Instagram · Instagram · Yoti
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Gambling Commission: age and identity must be verified before a customer can gamble
New rules remove the previous 72-hour window; operators must verify name, address and date of birth before allowing anyone to deposit or bet. This is the gambling-sector rule the online safety age checks are often compared with.
Regulation · Gambling Commission
73 events. Compiled 6 September 2026 from Ofcom, the ICO, legislation.gov.uk, gov.uk and the services' and vendors' own pages; where a primary page was not readable by our fetcher, the entry says which secondary source it rests on.