Ukie responds to Ofcom call for evidence on age assurance and app stores

Submitted: 8th December 2025

Ukie’s response sets out that age assurance in the video games sector is already embedded within a mature, layered safety system built around safety by design, platform level controls and shared responsibility between platforms, developers and families. The submission explains that games are professionally created, age rated products, with online interaction often limited, structured and secondary to gameplay. Age information is primarily established at device and platform account level, where child and family profiles apply default safeguards automatically. These signals are then used by app stores and games to restrict access to higher risk features, configure age appropriate defaults and support parents in managing play, contributing to comparatively low levels of reported harm in games when measured against social media.

Ukie cautions against treating age assurance as a standalone technical fix or mandating intrusive approaches across all services regardless of risk. The response highlights that highly intrusive age assurance raises privacy concerns, imposes significant costs on small and micro studios, and risks duplicating processes already handled more effectively at platform level. Ukie argues that app stores already play an important protective role through content review, age rated catalogues, parental controls and curated child experiences, and that children’s safety would be best strengthened through proportionate, privacy preserving and interoperable approaches. The submission urges Ofcom to recognise the distinct nature of games, build on existing effective systems, and prioritise targeted age assurance alongside clearer information, safer defaults and improved parental uptake rather than a one size fits all model.