Social media firm imposes first ban on under-age users

A SOCIAL media firm is to become the first in the world to enforce a ban on under-age users.

Yubo, which has 4.7 million users in the UK and 60 million worldwide, will use AI, facial analysis and passport or ID card checks to ensure no child under the age of 13 can access the site.

Under-25s account for 99 per cent of Yubo’s users and the French networking platform aims to verify the age of all its subscribers by the end of this year.

The move will pile pressure on other social media firms to follow suit and comes as the Government’s online safety Bill yesterday began its line-byline scrutiny by MPS.

The legislation places a duty of care on social media firms to prevent children from encountering inappropriate or harmful content as well as requiring ID checks to prevent under-18s access- ing sites containing pornography.

Sacha Lazimi, Yubo’s chief executive, said: “We strongly believe we have a duty of care to protect [young people] as much as we can. The safer the platform, the more people feel they can engage with each other.”

Anyone joining Yubo will have to undergo an age check by using their phone or laptop to take a live photo, which will then be analysed by AI technology developed by Yoti, a digital identity provider working with the Home Office on similar systems for supermarket age checks on alcohol sales. If someone is judged to be under 13, they will have to provide date-of-birth evidence from a passport or ID or school card.

Annie Mullins, an independent safety adviser for Yubo and an ex-government adviser, said: “It’s critical that any company with young users proactively creates as safe an environment as possible.”