When will social media ban start, and which apps will be affected?

15 Jun 2026, 10:00

Getty Images

The UK has announced it is going to ban social media for under-16s.

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said that the ban would take effect in early 2027.

He said keeping children off social media was "the right step for Britain" and the best way to keep them safe online.

Which social media platforms will be banned?

The ban will cover platforms including Snapchat, TikTok, YouTube, Instagram, Facebook and X, the government said.

An exhaustive list of which platforms the ban will apply to has not been released. However the government said it would apply to those "whose purpose is to enable social interaction and which allow users to post material".

The measures will also require platforms to prevent children from being able to livestream, including on gaming platforms.

The government said there would be a block on functions which allow strangers to communicate with children under-16. Restrictions on these functions would also be on by default for under-17s "to prevent a cliff-edge at 16".

It said it was also looking into overnight curfews and breaks in infinite scrolling for under-18s, with more detail on this to be set out in July.

AI "romantic companion" chatbots, which are designed to simulate sexual relationships or roleplay with users, will have to enforce a minimum age of 18.

AI chatbots more widely will have to restrict "intimate functionalities" for under-18s, the government said.

The government said it did not intend to include messaging services like WhatsApp and Signal in the social media ban.

Most social media platforms already require children to be over 13 to create an account and use their services.

When will the social media ban be introduced?

The prime minister said the government plans to pass regulations before Christmas.

This would allow the ban to be introduced by spring 2027.

"It will make our children safer. It will make our children happier. It will give them more time, more security, more freedom to grow up," Sir Keir said.

The announcement follows a public consultation which received more than 120,000 responses.

How will it be enforced?

The prime minister said the UK's measures would not mean that no child would ever be able to log onto social media again, but that it was nevertheless important to act.

"They get around other laws," Sir Keir said. "But we don't say 'oh look a teenager managed to get a drink somehow so let's not bother banning alcohol sales to children'."

The government said "highly effective age assurance" measures will be used to check the age of those using social media.

This typically involves requiring companies to use tech that can accurately estimate or verify someone's age - such as using face scans or asking for ID.

The regulator Ofcom has been asked to carry out a rapid study to identify the best ways to verify if someone is over 16.

A number of platforms, including porn sites, are already required to carry out these checks to prevent children accessing adult material. And Ofcom has fined several platforms for not complying with its requirements.

But concerns have been raised about tools such as virtual private networks (VPNs) being used to get around UK blocks.

The government has said it will learn lessons from Australia, where some children have said they can still access sites which were meant to be blocked under a social media ban that began late last year.

How have families and children reacted?

Among those who have been calling for social media to be banned for under-16s are bereaved parents and families.

Lisa Kenevan said her son Isaac, who died aged 13, has been her "driving force" in her campaign. She told BBC Breakfast that while parents wanted the ban "a lot sooner", the announcement means "we're in a good place now".

Mariano Janin, whose daughter Mia died at the age of 14 in 2021 after she was a victim of cyber bullying, said the announcement had left him "speechless".

"I think it's a change in the right direction, it won't be easy, but it will be possible," he said.

However, speaking ahead of the announcement, Ian Russell - whose daughter Molly took her own life at the age of 14 after viewing harmful content online - accused the government of rushing restrictions for political reasons.

Russell said "sledgehammer techniques like bans" only cause more problems.

Overall, nine out of 10 parents back decisive action on social platforms for children, according to the government.

However, some teens have expressed concern about how a social media ban will affect their ability to connect with friends and express themselves.

George, who is 14, told BBC Radio 4's Today programme he felt people his age should be able to make their own choices because "we're beyond people saying what we have to do".

Lilly, 15, from Cumbria said apps like TikTok allow her to "communicate more", for example by allowing her to post videos of her performing.

What have social media firms said about the ban?

YouTube said the ban risked pushing children towards "anonymous, less safe services".

It said it was a "vital resource for young people" and that it had invested in "age-appropriate experiences and default protections for teens for over a decade".

Snapchat said it backed the aim of protecting young people from online harm.

However, it said the majority of time on its platform was in private messaging between friends and family and that a ban disconnecting teens from those relationships "may simply push them to less safe platforms".

What is Australia's social media ban and what have other countries done?

Australia introduced a social media ban for children in December 2025. The UK government said it would follow this model.

The most popular sites in Australia are now required to prevent children from being able to set up new accounts. Existing profiles belonging to under-16s had to be deactivated.

Australia's rules apply to 10 platforms: Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, Threads, TikTok, X, YouTube, Reddit and streaming platforms Kick and Twitch.

The fact that it did not include gaming platforms Discord and Roblox was criticised by some.

More than six months on, implementing the policy remains incredibly difficult.

One student told BBC News that in her grade of more than 170 students, she knew of only three who had been booted off social media.

And 70% of parents have told the Australia's internet regulator their children were still on these platforms.

No fines have been handed out yet - but the eSafety Commission says it is investigating potential non-compliance by Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok and YouTube.

According to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, 25 countries now have social media age restrictions in force, enacted, or under active consideration.

In Spain and Portugal politicians have announced plans and partly voted the rules in. Their bans are likely to come into force this year.

Governments in France, Malaysia, Denmark, Indonesia, Norway and Canada are also in the process of bringing in a ban.

Laws have also been passed in several US states but are being challenged in the courts.