The UK government has proposed banning under-16s from major social media platforms, with rules expected to take effect in 2027.
The UK is moving to keep children off social media. On Monday, June 15, 2026, Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced a proposed ban that would stop under-16s from using major platforms, alongside wider rules aimed at protecting children online.
According to NPR, the ban would apply to platforms including Snapchat, TikTok, YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, and X. It would not cover YouTube Kids or messaging services such as WhatsApp and Signal. Platforms that fail to take reasonable steps to keep out users under 16 could face fines running into millions.
Starmer said the measures are meant to protect young people from harmful content and excessive screen time. He described the plan as a way to give children their childhood back and called it a line in the sand for tech companies. He also said enforcement would target the platforms rather than the children themselves, and acknowledged that some teenagers would try to get around the rules.
UK Social Media Ban: What It Covers
The proposal goes beyond a simple account ban. The government wants to restrict harmful online features across a wider range of services, including gaming sites, not just social media apps.
That includes blocks on livestreaming and on strangers communicating with children. Any feature that allows under-16s to communicate with unknown adults would be restricted. The plan would also target AI chatbots designed to simulate romantic or intimate relationships with users.
An exhaustive list of affected platforms has not yet been published, so it remains unclear whether services such as Reddit or Bluesky would be included. The government has said more details are expected soon. Social media platforms generally require users to be at least 13, but those rules vary by country and have been criticized as weakly enforced.
Social Media Ban Follows Australia Model
The UK plan follows the path set by Australia, which last year became the first country to bar under-16s from holding social media accounts. Officials have described the British approach as an “Australia plus” model, meaning it copies the core of Australia’s law while adding extra restrictions on platforms that are not fully banned.
The legislative groundwork is already partly in place. Part 3 of the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Act 2026 requires the government to impose some form of age or functionality restrictions for children under 16. That requirement followed a series of government defeats in the House of Lords over the issue.
The government also ran a public consultation called “Growing up in the online world” between March 2 and May 26, 2026, building on the Online Safety Act 2023. Any new regulations would need approval from both Houses of Parliament. Starmer said he hopes the legislation will pass before Christmas, with the rules expected to take effect in 2027.
Reaction to the UK Social Media Ban
The proposal has drawn support and criticism. The Conservative leader has backed a ban for under-16s, and bereaved families who campaigned on online safety have pushed for stronger rules. The Green Party said it welcomes action on the harms social media can cause young people, while arguing that any platform using harmful features should be blocked for under-18s until it can prove it is safe.
Critics warn a ban could push children toward less regulated online spaces where they may face greater risk. Others say it could carry unintended consequences, such as limiting the ability of marginalized groups to build online communities.
The move places the UK within a growing global push to tighten online safety for children. Several governments are weighing similar age limits, and the British proposal has fed into a wider debate over child safety, privacy, and how young people should access the internet.
