A proposed social media ban for children under 16 in the United Kingdom could face public resistance if it requires mandatory digital identification checks, according to recent polling data. The findings suggest that while there is broad support for curbing underage access to social media platforms, the enforcement mechanisms may prove contentious.

A survey conducted by Ipsos, involving a representative sample of 1,082 British adults, found that 69 percent back legislation requiring social media companies to implement age verification tools to block users under 16 years old. Additionally, 61 percent support imposing curfews that restrict access for teenagers aged 16 and 17 during nighttime hours. However, public backing declines sharply if verification involves compulsory uploading of personal identification or credit card information, with support falling to 50 percent.

Alex Bogdan, the research director at Ipsos, noted that the central challenge in advancing such legislation is less about gaining support for the principle of restricting underage social media use, and more about addressing public concerns regarding privacy and the practicalities of wide-reaching age-verification infrastructure.

The Labour Party leader, Sir Keir Starmer, has advocated for a more stringent approach than Australia's relatively lenient model, which mandates only that companies take “reasonable steps” to verify users’ ages. The so-called “Australia-plus” model proposed in the UK aims for “highly effective” age assurance to prevent under-16s from accessing these platforms. Critics in Australia have pointed to a high level of noncompliance, with up to 80 percent of children under 16 reportedly maintaining social media accounts, despite the existing restrictions. Australian officials have accused platforms of systemic failures to enforce age limits.

In the UK, government regulators are considering enforcement actions against five major social media companies over allegations that children have bypassed age restrictions by accurately providing their birth dates but continuing to use the platforms. These companies face potential fines of up to £26 million ($49.5 million) if found in breach of regulations. The media regulator Ofcom is exploring various technologies to strengthen age verification, including digital ID schemes, artificial intelligence-based facial age estimation, credit card verification, open banking checks, and collaboration with mobile operators.

Verifying ages of children under 16 presents particular challenges, as an estimated 10 percent of this group lack passports, complicating traditional identification methods. This has led to consideration of a broad range of technological solutions, but the adoption of some methods could fuel public backlash. For instance, the poll indicated that support dropped to 48 percent if the law were to include a comprehensive ban on Virtual Private Networks (VPNs), which some fear children might use to circumvent restrictions.

The survey also revealed that 43 percent of respondents believe the ban would have no effect on children’s digital literacy, while 40 percent think it would not alter their awareness of current affairs. Conversely, about one-third of those surveyed anticipate the ban might positively impact these areas. As policymakers weigh the effectiveness and acceptability of the proposed social media restrictions, balancing privacy concerns with child protection remains a key issue.