Key facts
- UK government to ban social media for under-16s, effective spring 2027.
- Ban applies to platforms like TikTok, Snapchat, YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, and X.
- Restrictions on livestreaming and stranger communication will be implemented for under-16s.
- Overnight curfews and breaks in infinite scrolling for under-18s are under consideration.
- AI chatbots simulating romantic relationships will require users to be 18 or older.
- Platforms must implement age verification systems, potentially including facial recognition.
- The UK ban follows a similar model to Australia's, with financial penalties for non-compliance.
The UK government has announced plans to ban social media access for all individuals under the age of 16, with the new regulations anticipated to come into effect in the spring of 2027. This comprehensive ban will encompass popular platforms such as Snapchat, TikTok, YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, and X.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer stated that the government is taking a more extensive approach than any other country by implementing this ban and introducing broader protections aimed at restoring childhoods. Beyond the outright ban, the government intends to enforce stringent controls on features like livestreaming and communication with strangers for those under 16. These restrictions will also apply by default to 16- and 17-year-olds to avoid a sudden change at the age of 16. These measures are expected to extend to online gaming services.
Further considerations are being made regarding overnight curfews and the elimination of infinite scrolling features for users under 18, with more details to be released in July. Messaging services like WhatsApp and Signal will be exempt from the social media ban. Additionally, AI chatbots designed to simulate sexual relationships or engage in role-playing will be required to enforce a minimum age of 18, with similar restrictions for younger users on other AI chatbots.
Social media platforms will be mandated to verify the ages of their users. The communications regulator, Ofcom, will be responsible for defining the specific age-verification systems required for compliance. This decision follows a public consultation that garnered 116,000 responses. Ofcom is expected to present various options for accurate and robust age assurance methods in the coming months, potentially including facial recognition technology. Existing social media users who have already verified their age through other means may be exempt from new checks.
The UK's Online Safety Act already mandates age checks for explicit content, but the use of VPNs to bypass these measures was noted. The Center for European Policy Analysis highlighted that the VPNs children might use to circumvent age checks can introduce privacy and security risks, as bad actors in the VPN market may trade sensitive user data.
The UK government's ban is modeled on a similar approach in Australia, where online platforms face financial penalties for failing to prevent underage users. Social media companies have expressed concerns, with YouTube suggesting that blanket bans could drive children towards less safe, unregulated services. Meta echoed this sentiment, stating that such bans risk isolating teens and pushing them toward alternatives lacking built-in protections.
The Electronic Frontier Foundation has argued that age-verification requirements infringe on user privacy by necessitating increased collection of personal information. They also contend that banning social media deprives young people of access to valuable content and connections, potentially isolating them from important information and communities. Liberal Democrat MP Victoria Collins criticized the proposal as insufficient, advocating instead for tech companies to address addictive algorithms and implement safety-by-design principles. Reform UK leader Nigel Farage expressed skepticism about the ban's effectiveness due to VPN usage and suggested limiting features on children's handsets as a more viable solution. Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch credited her party's efforts for the Labour government's adoption of the under-16 ban.