UK is banning social media for children under 16, with more restrictions to follow

The UK government has announced plans to ban social media platforms from offering their services to children under 16. The legislation is expected to reach Parliament before Christmas, with protections coming into force in Spring 2027.

The ban follows the same model as Australia, and will cover platforms like Snapchat, TikTok, YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, and X. Messaging services like WhatsApp and Signal are not included. Beyond the blanket ban, the government is also introducing restrictions on specific features for under-16s, including livestreaming and direct communication with strangers, and these will apply to a wider range of online services, including gaming platforms.

For 16 and 17-year-olds, those same restrictions will be switched on by default to avoid a hard cutoff at 16. The government is also looking into overnight curfews and breaks in infinite scrolling for under-18s, with more detail expected in July.

AI romantic companion chatbots, the kind designed to simulate relationships or sexual roleplay, will be restricted to users 18 and over. Similar intimate features on AI chatbots more broadly will be off-limits for under-18s.

The announcement follows a public consultation that drew over 116,000 responses. Nine in ten parents said they supported a ban for under-16s, and two thirds of young people agreed that children younger than 16 should not be allowed on at least some social media platforms.

Ofcom will carry out a rapid review of age verification methods to determine what qualifies as effective age assurance for confirming someone is over 16. The government has also confirmed it will give Ofcom the funding it needs to enforce the new rules.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer called it a line in the sand, saying tech companies had their chance and failed.