After the government's announcement on Monday, a social media ban is coming for under-16s in the UK – but the exact scope remains unclear, even as ministers prepare a separate move to force platforms to promote British news.
The government has named only a handful of sites it will include: Snapchat, TikTok, YouTube, Instagram, Facebook and X. It says restrictions will closely follow Australia's, where those apps plus Kick, Reddit, Threads and Twitch are banned for under-16s. That leaves questions about gaming sites like Roblox, hugely popular with British children and accused of failing to keep them safe, though Roblox says it has made changes to protect child users.
“Social media ban for under-16s announced, with key apps named, but gaming sites and enforcement remain unclear.”
“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, Roblox will still need to comply with requirements announced alongside the ban for all platforms to disable features allowing strangers to communicate with children – a rule the government said would apply to gaming services. Children will still be able to play multiplayer online games.
YouTube will be included, but YouTube Kids will not. It is unclear how YouTube would prevent children accessing the platform through search without an account, or how educational content could be carved out. YouTube called the site “a vital resource for young people” and said a ban risked pushing children towards “anonymous, less safe services”. Citing research with consultancy firm Livity, Google says 95% of UK teens surveyed said watching videos helps with school work.
Ministers have said they will provide an update in July on further restrictions, including potential curfews, curbing of “addictive” features like infinite scroll and AI chatbots.
Separately, the government is preparing to force social media platforms to boost the presence of British news providers to counter misinformation. Ministers will consult on rules requiring platforms such as YouTube and Meta to make UK news sites like the BBC more prominent – a move likely to ruffle the feathers of big tech firms.