The UK government has announced that social media access will be banned for under-16s as part of a comprehensive online safety drive. Prime Minister Keir Starmer described the changes as a "line in the sand" for tech companies that have failed to adequately protect children. The measures, unveiled on Monday, include a host of restrictions beyond the age ban.
Which Social Media Apps Will Be Banned?
Platforms such as Snapchat, TikTok, YouTube, Instagram, X (formerly Twitter), and Facebook will all be blocked for users under 16. The government is adopting a framework similar to Australia's, targeting "user-to-user platforms" that enable social interaction, content posting, and algorithm-driven recommendations. This effectively covers all major social media services. Currently, the minimum age for using these platforms in the UK is 13.
Messaging apps like WhatsApp and Signal will be exempt from the ban. The government will also define a narrow list of other exemptions to avoid affecting music streaming, e-commerce, or educational services. The ban is expected to come into force by spring next year, following a consultation that received over 116,000 responses. The full consultation response will be published next month.
Additional Restrictions Under the 'Australia Plus' Plan
The government is calling the plan an "Australia plus" ban because it introduces extra measures. Livestreaming and communication with strangers will be blocked for under-16s on a wider range of online services, including gaming platforms like Roblox. These restrictions will be enabled by default for 16- and 17-year-olds to prevent a "cliff edge" when they turn 16. Ministers are also considering limits on infinite scrolling and social media curfews for this age group.
So-called "romantic companion" chatbots that simulate sexual relationships will have a minimum age limit of 18. Other chatbots will also have an age limit of 18 on "intimate functionalities." The government will release further updates in July, addressing issues like virtual private networks (VPNs) that can bypass geographical bans, and will set out additional plans for 16- and 17-year-olds next month.
How Will the Ban Be Enforced?
The government may strengthen or modify the age-verification process already in place under the UK's Online Safety Act, overseen by Ofcom. The regulator will publish an assessment by October on how to best implement age-gating for under-16s. Current methods include facial age estimation, bank information collection, email-based age estimation, and digital IDs. The government has asked Ofcom to conduct a "rapid study" on age verification to prevent teenagers from circumventing the ban, as has happened in Australia.
The details of age assurance remain contentious. The government wants to make it "far harder for children to bypass safeguards" with an "effective enforcement strategy," while platforms and privacy advocates worry about the technical and political implications of collecting more user data.
Reactions to the Ban
The government claims that nine out of ten parents who responded to the consultation supported the ban, and two-thirds of young people agreed that children under 16 should be blocked from at least some social media platforms. However, the Molly Rose Foundation, an online safety charity, warned that a ban could give parents a "false sense of safety" and called for harmful algorithms to be tackled instead.
YouTube, owned by Google, expressed disappointment, arguing that the ban could push children towards unsafe platforms. A spokesperson said: "YouTube is a vital resource for young people, educators and parents. Blanket bans push kids out of such curated, supervised, beneficial experiences and towards anonymous, less safe services."
