Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has announced that from spring 2027, children under 16 in the UK will be banned from accessing a range of social media platforms, including TikTok, Snapchat, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and X. The government says it will pass the necessary regulation before Christmas 2026. The ban follows a government consultation that received 116,000 responses, with nine in 10 parents backing the move. But details remain sparse on which apps are included, how enforcement will work, and what it means for gaming sites like Roblox.
The ban is part of an international trend: Australia already has a similar ban for under-16s, on which the UK says its rules will be closely based. Australia’s ban covers Snapchat, TikTok, YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, X, Kick, Reddit, Threads, and Twitch. The UK has so far named only the six platforms above, but ministers have indicated the list may grow. Messaging apps like WhatsApp and Signal are exempt, as is YouTube Kids. Online gaming platform Roblox is also not banned, but the government will require platforms to disable features that let strangers contact children – and said this restriction would apply to gaming services. Some features will be restricted for 16- and 17-year-olds, such as infinite scroll, and curfews may be introduced. Intimate and sexual chats with AI will be banned for under-18s.
“The UK plans to ban under-16s from social media from 2027.”
The push for a ban has been driven by campaign groups like Smartphone Free Childhood, whose co-founder Joe Ryrie called it “a major step forward”. However, the announcement has been met with significant criticism. A petition against the ban, started by Leo Rhodes in February 2026, has gathered more than 150,000 signatures, meaning it will be considered for a parliamentary debate. The Royal Society for Blind Children warned the ban “risks cutting off vital routes to connection for children who are already too often excluded”. Fact-checking organisation Full Fact called it a “misguided, retrograde step”. Tech giants including Meta, Snapchat, and YouTube have also pushed back, arguing that a blanket ban would push children towards “anonymous, less safe services”. YouTube said it is a “vital resource for young people”, citing research with consultancy Livity which found 95% of UK teens say watching videos helps with school work.
For UK readers, the ban will have a direct impact on millions of children and their families. The government’s stated aim is to protect children from harmful content and addictive features. But critics question whether the ban can be effectively enforced, pointing to Australia’s experience where around 60% of teenagers continued using the platforms after the ban. Supporters counter that even if some children circumvent the rules, a 40% reduction is still a public health success, similar to the impact of the indoor smoking ban.
Q: Which social media platforms will be banned for under-16s? The government has named Snapchat, TikTok, YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, and X. It says it will closely follow Australia’s approach, where the same platforms plus Kick, Reddit, Threads, and Twitch are banned. The full UK list is expected to be confirmed when regulation is passed.
Q: Will Roblox and other gaming sites be banned? No. The government has said Roblox will not be banned for under-16s. However, it will have to restrict features that let strangers message children, and the same rule will apply to other gaming services. Children will still be able to play multiplayer games online.
Q: How will the ban be enforced? Platforms will need to verify users’ ages. The government says many adults won’t need extra checks because their accounts are already over 16, have a credit card linked, or their email is verified. For under-16s, access will be blocked. Ministers have acknowledged that some children may use VPNs to bypass the ban, and say they will tackle that issue next month after a pilot scheme.
What happens next: The government aims to pass legislation before Christmas 2026, with the ban coming into force in spring 2027. In July 2026, ministers will provide an update on further restrictions for 16- and 17-year-olds, including potential curfews and limits on features like infinite scroll and AI chatbots. The petition against the ban will be considered for debate in Parliament.