British children could be issued with ‘digital passports’ to protect them from online porn 

Teenagers could be forced to apply for a ‘digital passport’ to prove they are old enough to join social media sites such as Facebook.

Digital minister Margot James admitted yesterday that while plans to impose a strict age verification scheme on pornographic websites has been delayed, the ‘time has come’ for a clampdown on social media sites, because many are flooded with adult material.

Mrs James told the Commons science select committee that the new age verification rules – put back from April until Easter – contain a ‘legislative weakness’ because users will have to prove they are over 18 only on sites on which more than a third of content is pornographic.

When digital minister Margot James (pictured) was asked whether young people should be given a ‘digital passport’, she said: ‘I do think the time has come when that is required’

It means millions of sexually explicit videos will still be available online to children due to a clause that exempts social media and image-sharing websites from needing proof of age.

Asked whether young people should be given a ‘digital passport’ to ensure they are safe on the internet, she told the committee: ‘I do think the time has come when that is required, but there are a few quite considerable hoops to go through before we can arrive at a system of digital identity, including someone’s age, that is acknowledged, respected and entered into by the vast majority of people.’

She added: ‘We will also keep a close eye on how social media platforms develop in terms of the extent of pornographic material, particularly if they are platforms that appeal to children.’