One Out Of Five Children Lie About Their Age Online

In an era where kids are practically born scrolling, Ofcom has flagged a major issue with online age verification.

According to the UK media regulator, 22% of kids aged 8 to 17 are faking being 18+ to access social media apps. With the Online Safety Act (OSA) set to enforce stricter measures in 2025, platforms are under pressure to step up—or face hefty fines.

The Age-Lying Epidemic

“It’s just so easy to lie about your age,” Myley, 15, a student at Rosshall Academy in Glasgow told the BBC. Her classmate, Haniya, agrees: “There’s no verification—they don’t ask for ID, they don’t ask for anything.”

 

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And the problem isn’t just anecdotal. Ofcom’s survey underscores how self-declared ages leave kids vulnerable to harmful content. Ian Mccrae, Director of Market Intelligence at Ofcom, calls the findings “alarming.” He warns that 2025 will be a pivotal year for online safety, promising enforcement action against platforms that don’t comply with the OSA.

The legislation gives Ofcom the authority to fine companies up to 10% of their global revenue. For tech giants, that’s billions at stake.

 

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Current Efforts Fall Short

Some platforms have rolled out initiatives aimed at making social media safer for young users. Instagram introduced “teen accounts,” while TikTok claims to remove thousands of underage accounts daily. But a BBC test revealed how easy it is to bypass these measures. Fake accounts using bogus birth years were set up with no ID checks required.

 

 

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“Self-declaration of a child’s age is clearly completely insufficient,” says Mccrae. Ofcom is testing new age-verification technologies in its labs, with plans to release findings in 2024. While specifics remain unclear, the goal is “highly effective age assurance.”

Why It Matters

The need for better safeguards is urgent. The deaths of teens like Molly Russell and Brianna Ghey, linked to harmful online content, have heightened public concern. Andy Burrows, CEO of the Molly Rose Foundation, calls Ofcom’s findings “incredibly shocking.” He says weak enforcement of age checks means many children will still face risks even after the OSA is in place.

 

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Global Context

Other countries are taking even tougher stances. Last week, Australia passed a law banning social media for under-16s—a move the UK government may consider. Meanwhile, Snapchat, Meta, and X (formerly Twitter) remain largely silent on their next steps.

As Mccrae puts it, platforms must do “much, much more” to protect young users. With 2025 approaching, the tech world has a lot to prove—and a lot to lose.