Andy delivered this talk last week, focusing on a specific part of online safeguarding: verifying age in digital environments where access to harmful content or contact is possible.

Age assurance is not just a theoretical safeguard, but as a practical control. The issue is straightforward. Without reliable age checks, platforms cannot meaningfully separate children from adult spaces. That creates exposure to content, interaction, and risk that would not be permitted offline. Having said this, things are not as easy as it sounds.

We are biased of course, but his talk, as always, raises many issues as well as reminding us of the importance of having conversations and sharing best practice.