What Could The UK Online Safety Consultation Mean For UK Businesses?

The UK government’s consultation on children’s online safety closed this week after receiving more than 70,000 responses, according to the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology. Ministers now need to decide what stricter online safety rules could look like for social media platforms, tech companies and any business handling age checks online.

The consultation has already moved well past political discussion. Businesses are now looking at more practical questions around age verification, legal responsibility, data storage and enforcement from regulators such as Ofcom and the Information Commissioner’s Office.

Melissa Hall, Legal Director in MFMac’s Manufacturing, Media & Technology team, said businesses are already dealing with difficult technical and legal matters under the Online Safety Act.

“As the government’s landmark consultation on protecting children online closes, attention will now turn to what tougher regulation could mean in practice for social media platforms and businesses particularly in relation to liability for age verification.”

Hall said online platforms already have legal duties under existing legislation and regulators are paying close attention to whether those systems actually work in practice.

“One of the key challenges businesses face is the circumvention of safeguards. Under the Online Safety Act, platforms already have a legal duty to prevent children from accessing harmful content through highly effective age assurance measures. Where those systems fail, liability is likely to remain with the provider, rather than the individual attempting to bypass restrictions.”

Why Are Businesses Worried About Age Verification?

Age verification has become one of the biggest issues in the consultation because companies may need to collect far more personal information from users to prove their age.

OFCOM and the ICO already expect platforms to stop children getting around age checks through tools such as VPNs or false details. That could leave businesses dealing with more expensive verification systems and larger compliance teams.

Hall said regulators already expect companies to think about ways users may bypass restrictions.

“Ofcom’s current guidance recognises that children may use tools such as VPNs to circumvent age checks. A joint statement from Ofrom and the ICO in March 2026 further emphasised that providers should take steps to mitigate such circumvention, including implementing age assurance methods that guard against falsified inputs and effectively bind proof of age to the individual presenting for the check.”

That creates another problem for businesses because stronger checks often mean collecting highly sensitive data such as identity documents or facial scans. Companies may then face questions around storage, security and privacy law.

Are those concerns avoidable? Well, Hall said, “While more robust verification methods may support compliance, they also raise legitimate concerns around the processing and storage of sensitive personal data, such as identity documents or facial recognition data.”

The ICO has already hinted that patience is wearing thin around slow progress from platforms. Hall said regulatory action is still very much a real possibility.

“The ICO has also recently signalled concern about the limited progress being made in this area, noting that formal investigations and regulatory enforcement action remain firmly on the table.”

What Is The Government Looking At After This?

The government is now studying how countries such as Australia are enforcing social media age restrictions and what lessons could apply in the UK.

Online Safety Minister Kanishka Narayan travelled to Australia this week to meet regulators and young people after the UK consultation closed. The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology said the visit forms part of a larger fact finding exercise before ministers announce their next decisions this summer.

Australia introduced social media age restrictions earlier than many countries, making it one of the first real world examples available to UK policymakers.

Narayan said ministers want evidence before introducing tougher rules.

“As we get ready to set out our next steps for creating a safer world online for children, it is crucial that we learn from the best evidence available.”

He said, “We want to make sure whatever we do, we do it right. That is why I am travelling to Australia to see how their world-first approach to social media age restrictions has been working.”

Narayan also said the government wants evidence from young people directly affected by social media rules. He said, “I will bring the lessons Australia has learned back with me to inform our next steps, and ensure we can create safer, more enriching and healthy childhoods for young people across our country.”

What Could Happen For UK Companies, Going Forward?

Businesses just have to wait and see before the government publishes its formal response later this summer. Technology companies, app developers, online retailers and platforms with younger audiences are all likely to keep an eye.

Any tougher rules could bring higher compliance costs, larger moderation teams and stricter identity checks for users. Smaller businesses may struggle more than larger platforms because advanced age assurance systems can become expensive very quickly.

The government has also appointed an academic panel chaired by Professor Russell Viner to examine evidence around social media and children’s wellbeing. The panel includes Professor Amy Orben, Professor Sonia Livingstone OBE FBA and Professor Deborah Fry among other specialists in child development and online safety.

That work may influence how aggressive future UK regulation becomes. Businesses are now waiting to see where ministers draw the line between child protection, privacy rights and general enforcement.