Department for Science, Innovation and Technology written question – answered at on 14 April 2026.
Michael Wheeler
Labour, Worsley and Eccles
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what assessment her Department has made of the adequacy of the data protection practices of overseas third-party age-verification providers operating under the Online Safety Act.
Kanishka Narayan
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act impose obligations on data controllers – which include age verification services - to process data fairly, lawfully, and transparently. The UK’s data protection legislation provides for extraterritorial scope, which applies to organisations offering goods or services or monitoring the behaviour of data subjects within the UK.
The Information Commissioner’ Office can investigate any concerns raised about the misuse or mishandling of data.
ofcom and the ICO recently issued a joint statement on age assurance to provide greater clarity on how services can meet their obligations under the OSA and UK data protection legislation.
Yes1 person thinks so
No0 people think not
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Secretary of State was originally the title given to the two officials who conducted the Royal Correspondence under Elizabeth I. Now it is the title held by some of the more important Government Ministers, for example the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs.
Ofcom is the independent regulator and competition authority for the UK communications industries, with responsibilities across television, radio, telecommunications and wireless communications services.
Ofcom Web Site http://www.ofcom.org.uk
