The UK's planned social media ban for under-16s could include YouTube Kids and Spotify, with regulations potentially covering up to 150 platforms when they come into force next March.
The Mirror reports that the Government is working on a ban for young people due to take effect next spring, and ministers are seeking a catch-all approach to limit workarounds. Companies that fail to cooperate with the Government could still fall foul of the regulations currently being considered by Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy.
Government's Catch-All Approach
Last week, online safety minister Ian Murray warned platforms such as YouTube Kids and Lego Play that they must demonstrate they do not have harmful algorithms. He said: "Are there ways in which you can stop the harms being created by the algorithms, the recommender systems, the commenting systems or the conversations that can be had with strangers?"
Murray added: "If you have created a service that complies with all the regulations, is it then available to under-16s? I would say that, currently, the government's position is that, yes, there has to be an off-ramp."
Industry Concerns Over Compliance
According to the Guardian, some companies remain unclear whether they will comply with the ban. An industry source said: "We all share the goal of keeping teenagers safe online. Proposals have to be workable, and a situation where eBay, Lego, YouTube Kids and Spotify aren't clear whether they comply is unsustainable. Detailed guidelines can't come soon enough."
Another source added: "The whole internet has a recommender system. The regulation is just too broad. But they want to make it really broad and legally airtight so they can be prepared for any eventuality."
Expansion to Marketplaces and Gaming
In September, Ms Nandy said a social media ban would be drawn up using a "safety by feature-led approach", differing from Australia's approach, which implemented a world-first social media ban for under-16s last year by listing banned companies.
Ms Nandy is also considering expanding the ban to include online marketplaces for second-hand items, such as eBay, Vinted, Depop and Facebook Marketplace, as well as online gaming platforms. The Department for Culture, Media and Sport was approached for comment.
