The UK ICO welcomed Ofcom’s rapid assessment of highly effective age assurance at the 16-age threshold. It said age assurance must protect personal data and allow users to exercise their information rights. The ICO is working with the UK Government and Ofcom to embed data protection in new regulations. It is also assessing how age assurance providers currently comply with data protection law. Social media and video-sharing platforms should already use age gates to block underage users. The ICO urged all such platforms to act now to protect underage users from harm.