Ofcom has launched a Call for Evidence in relation to two reports that it must produce under the Online Safety Act 2023 which will ultimately be submitted to the Government.

The first concerns the use and effectiveness of age assurance, and asks regulated service providers the following:

1. How have regulated service providers used age assurance for the purpose of compliance with the duties set out in the Act?
2. How effective has the use of age assurance been for the purpose of compliance with the duties set out in the Act?
3. Has user privacy, cost, or any other factor prevented or hindered the effective use of age assurance, or a particular kind of age assurance, for that purpose?

The second report that Ofcom must produce relates to the use of app stores by children. On this, the Call for Evidence invites the views of regulated service providers on the following matters:

1. What role do app stores play in children encountering:

(a)  user-to-user content that is harmful to children;

(b)  search content that is harmful to children; or

(c)  regulated pornographic content.

2. Do you think that children’s online safety would be better protected from the content types listed above by:

(a)  greater use of age assurance;

(b)  particular kinds of age assurance; or

(c)  other measures, at the app store level?

3. To what extent to app store providers currently use age assurance?
4. What other protective measures and policies currently exist at the app store level to protect children? How effective do you consider they are?

The Call for Evidence closes on 1 December 2025, and can be read in full here.