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UK will ban social media for under-16s from spring 2027, on Australia's model

Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, Snapchat, Facebook and X would be covered, but not WhatsApp or Signal. Livestreaming and contact from strangers will be off by default for 16- and 17-year-olds.

Catching up: the original came out on . This story was published later, when the site opened.

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The UK will ban social media for under-16s, with changes due in spring 2027

Grade 1 · Primary

Source: Department for Science, Innovation and Technology and Department for Culture, Media and Sport (UK)

What changed
The UK government said it will ban social media for under-16s, using Australia's model, with the first regulations laid by the end of 2026.
Who it affects
Children under 16 in the UK, and platforms like those in Australia's ban: Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, Snapchat, Facebook and X.
What it does not tell you
Exactly which services are covered and how ages will be checked. The regulations are still to be written, and Ofcom is to set out age-check options.

The full story Check the source

The UK government announced on 15 June that it will ban social media for children under 16 [1].

It plans to use the same model as Australia, whose ban included platforms such as Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, Snapchat, Facebook and X. It does not intend to include messaging services such as WhatsApp and Signal [1].

The first regulations are due to be laid before the end of 2026, and the changes should take effect in spring 2027 [1].

What it covers

Children and young people under 16 in the UK. Livestreaming and contact from strangers will also be restricted for under-16s on other services, such as games [1].

For 16- and 17-year-olds, livestreaming and contact from strangers, including in games, will be switched off by default [1].

Platforms will face stronger requirements to check ages. Ofcom is to set out options for proving someone is over 16 [1].

The government says 9 in 10 parents backed a ban in its consultation from March to May 2026, and two-thirds of young people agreed under-16s should not use at least some platforms [1].

What it does not tell you

Exactly which services will be banned, or how age checks will work. Both are still to be set out [1].

Whether it can be enforced against children using VPNs. The government says it has commissioned research on that [1].

Sources and their grades

  1. Department for Science, Innovation and Technology and Department for Culture, Media and Sport (UK), Fact sheet: New rules to protect children online. Read 29 September 2026. Grade 1 · Primary First published 15 June 2026, last updated 18 September 2026. The consultation figures are the government's own summary.

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Filed under Children online Social media UK

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