Britain’s media regulator Ofcom and the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) have urged major social media platforms to take stronger steps to prevent children from accessing services that are not designed for them. The regulators warned that many companies are failing to properly enforce their own minimum age requirements and protect young users online.

The warning comes as the UK government considers introducing stricter rules that could ban children under the age of 16 from using social media platforms, similar to measures recently proposed in Australia.

Regulators expressed growing concern about algorithm-driven feeds that may expose children to harmful, addictive or inappropriate content. Ofcom chief executive Melanie Dawes said large online platforms must prioritise children’s safety and make urgent changes or face regulatory action.

Under the latest phase of the Online Safety Act, Ofcom has asked companies including Facebook and Instagram (owned by Meta), TikTok, YouTube, Snapchat and Roblox to demonstrate by April 30 how they plan to improve age verification systems, restrict strangers from contacting children and make online feeds safer for younger users.

The ICO also issued an open letter urging these platforms to adopt modern age-assurance technologies to prevent children under 13 from accessing services intended for older audiences. Regulators have the power to impose heavy penalties if companies fail to comply, with Ofcom able to fine up to 10% of global revenue and the ICO up to 4% of global annual turnover.