Ministers announced on Monday that a social media ban is coming for under-16s in the UK — but details remain sparse on which apps are included, how gaming sites like Roblox will be treated, and whether enforcing the ban will mean cracking down on virtual private networks that can disguise a user's location.
The government has specified only a handful of sites: Snapchat, TikTok, YouTube, Instagram, Facebook and X. However, it says restrictions will closely follow Australia’s approach, where those apps plus Kick, Reddit, Threads and Twitch are banned for under-16s. That leaves Roblox in limbo. The gaming platform, hugely popular with children, has been accused of failing to keep them safe — including allegations it allowed children to be preyed upon by adults. Roblox says it has made changes to protect child users, including expanding age estimation tools. “It is not yet clear how they will treat gaming sites,” said Lorna Woods, professor of internet law at Essex University. “Though if they follow the Australian approach, these will lie outside the Australian ban.” Regardless, any platform must disable features that let strangers communicate with children — a restriction the government explicitly said would apply to gaming services.
“UK bans under-16s from social media; details sparse on Roblox, VPNs, and educational content as big tech faces new demands.”
YouTube will be included in the ban, but YouTube Kids will not. Yet how YouTube would prevent children from accessing the platform through search without an account remains unclear, as does carving out educational content. YouTube called itself “a vital resource for young people” and warned the ban risked pushing children toward “anonymous, less safe services”. Google, citing research with consultancy Livity, said 95% of UK teens surveyed said watching videos helps with school work.
Ministers have promised an update in July on further restrictions like potential curfews, curbing of “addictive” features such as infinite scroll and AI chatbots — but the barrage of unanswered questions continues.
Meanwhile, the government is preparing to take on big tech in a separate move: forcing social media platforms to boost the presence of British news providers to counter misinformation. Ministers are set to consult on rules requiring platforms like YouTube and Meta to make UK news sites — including the BBC — more prominent, a step likely to ruffle the feathers of big tech firms. The details of that consultation remain unclear, but the twin pressures — a social media ban for children and a news promotion mandate — signal a hardening stance toward Silicon Valley.