GovWire

Through the Digital Regulation Cooperation Forum(DRCF) workplan for 2022-23, the Information Commissioners Office (ICO) and Ofcom committed to working together on protecting children online and synchronising their efforts with a particular focus on improving outcomes for children and parents by ensuring privacy and online safety protections work in unison. This joint research on age assurance was commissioned in line with that commitment.

Age assurance refers to a number of measures which would allow organisations to prevent children from accessing services which are inappropriate for their age, and also to tailor services to suit their developmental needs. The role of age assurance in childrens use of online services is an area of mutual interest for both the ICO and Ofcom, as age assurance products that comply with data protection legislation and meet further online safety objectives will help to deliver a stronger, more positive outcome for children online.