The under-16s social media ban: An outline of what’s happening in the UK

The UK Government has announced new rules to protect children online, which will mean banning social media for under 16s.

The decision follows a national consultation from March to May in 2026. This showed overwhelming public demand for action, with 9 in 10 parents backing a social media ban for under‑16s.

Two-thirds of young people also agree that under-16s shouldn’t be allowed to use some social media platforms.

When is the social media ban happening in the UK

The Government has announced that changes should come into force in Spring 2027, with the first set of Regulations due before the end of the year.

The Government also said that parents and children don’t need to do anything right now, as they’ll receive more details before the changes are implemented.

Who else has banned social media

Australia introduced the world’s first outright ban on social media for under 16s in December 2025. The ban there includes Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, Threads, TikTok, X, YouTube and Reddit.

It also means that under 16s can’t set up new accounts, and their existing profiles were deactivated. Other countries across the world are looking to implement similar bans including Greece, France, Austria, Indonesia and Denmark.

Which platforms will be impacted in the UK

These are Snapchat, TikTok, YouTube (but not YouTube Kids), Instagram, Facebook, X and Bluesky.

The Government also added that its restrictions will closely follow those of Australia. There the above apps plus Kick, Reddit, Threads and Twitch are banned for under-16s, while the UK ban will not include messaging services like WhatsApp and Signal.

Features that carry high risks, such as livestreaming, and where strangers are able to contact children, will be restricted for under‑16s on other online services, which include gaming, where stronger requirements for age checks will apply.

Whether or not Roblox and similar gaming sites are to be banned for under-16s, they must disable features where strangers are able to communicate with children.

How will the ban be imposed

In broad terms, from Spring 2027, under‑16s will no longer be able to use certain social media.

16 and 17 year olds will still be able to access social media, but live streaming, and stranger communication including in gaming, will be switched off by default for these ages.

Social media companies will be legally required to stop providing their services to anyone under 16. This means platforms must verify that a user is 16 or over before allowing them to create or access an account.