UK Plans to Bar Under-16s From TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube Starting Spring 2027
Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced on June 15 that the United Kingdom will ban children under 16 from most major social media platforms. The ban covers Snapchat, TikTok, YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, and X (formerly Twitter). Messaging services including WhatsApp and Signal are specifically excluded.
The scope goes further than a simple access restriction. The government will also prohibit under-16s from livestreaming, block strangers from contacting children on gaming platforms, and ban AI "romantic companion" chatbots for anyone under 18. Intimate AI functionalities will be restricted more broadly for under-18s across all platforms.
Enforcement responsibility falls squarely on tech companies. Platforms that fail to implement robust age verification — the specific mechanism is still under review by Ofcom, which has been asked to deliver its findings quickly — face the prospect of multi-million-dollar fines. The government's stated goal is to have the regulations introduced in Parliament before the end of 2026, with the ban taking effect in Spring 2027.
The policy draws on Australia's model; Australia became the first country to enact a similar under-16 ban in December 2025. Enforcement there has proved difficult — around 70% of parents polled by Australia's internet regulator said their children had found workarounds — but Starmer compared the situation to age limits on alcohol: imperfect in practice, but still a meaningful legal and social norm.
Public support was substantial. The government received 116,000 responses during its consultation period, with more than 90% of respondents backing the ban on under-16 access.
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