The Government is "seriously considering" extending a proposed social media ban for under-16s to online sales platforms such as eBay, Vinted and Depop, the Culture Secretary has revealed.
Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy said the government is considering extending the ban to these online marketplaces due to fears that their built-in messaging systems could allow strangers to groom children.
Government considering extending ban to marketplaces
Asked on the BBC's Sunday With Laura Kuenssberg if she would extend the ban to the websites, Ms Nandy said: "We are looking seriously at doing so in order to keep children safe."
Vinted, Depop, eBay and Facebook Marketplace are among those which could face the ban, according to the newspaper.
Details of social media ban expected this year
It comes as the Government is expected to announce new rules for social media for under-16s. The Culture Secretary will later this year publish details of which social media platforms will be banned from having users under 16 years old.
This is expected to include Facebook, Instagram and X, but the Sunday Times reported Ms Nandy could go further in the spring and extend the ban to marketplaces.
Ofcom warns of workarounds
It comes after Australia imposed a social media ban for under-16s, and the UK government is expected to follow in their footsteps with new rules next year. The move was initially announced by Sir Keir Starmer towards the end of his premiership, and regulations confirming the ban are expected to be introduced by the government by the end of the year.
However, Ofcom has now warned that children will find ways around the incoming social media age checks. The checks are designed to enforce the measures.
According to Ofcom, it is 'inevitable' that some under-16s would get around the checks, but added social media firms could reduce the risk by making it easier to report suspected underage accounts or by using technology that estimates a user's age from their online behaviour.
Additionally, the regulator warned that some facial recognition technology could be inaccurate by several years. This means that some users would need to undergo a second check.
