UK Social Media Ban for Under-16s: Start Date, Which Apps, and What Changes for 16-17s

The UK is following Australia: social media platforms will be blocked from offering accounts to under-16s. The ban was announced on 15 June 2026, but it is not in force yet. This page sets out what has been decided, what has not, and the dates.

When does it start?

The power to make the rules already exists. Section 70 of the Children's Wellbeing and Schools Act 2026, which received Royal Assent on 29 April 2026, lets the government require platforms to restrict children's access by regulations.

The timeline the government has given:

Both Houses of Parliament must approve the regulations before they apply, according to the House of Commons Library.

Which apps are covered?

The government has named Snapchat, TikTok, YouTube, Instagram, Facebook and X. Its fact sheet says it does not intend to include messaging services such as WhatsApp and Signal, and it plans a narrow list of exemptions such as educational services, e-commerce and music streaming.

What else is in the package?

• No livestreaming for under-16s. Under-16s will be barred from livestreaming themselves on all platforms.
• No contact from strangers. Under-16s will be protected from contact by strangers, including on gaming services. Multiplayer gaming itself is not affected.
• Defaults for 16 and 17 year olds. A midnight-to-6am curfew with notifications muted, autoplay and personalised feeds restricted, and livestreaming and stranger contact switched off by default. Teens can change these settings.
• AI chatbots. The July 2026 government response says under-18s will be prevented from using chatbots that mainly offer sexualised content, and the statement to Parliament adds mandatory breaks for under-18s using chatbots. The June announcement had described a minimum age of 18 for "romantic companion" chatbots; the later wording is narrower.
• VPNs. They will not be banned or age-gated, but platforms must take robust steps to detect and prevent children getting round the rules.
• No change to the data consent age. The age at which children can consent to data use stays at 13 for now; the government chose not to change it "at this stage".

How will age be checked?

The government asked Ofcom to report by October 2026 on what "highly effective age assurance" looks like for telling whether someone is over 16. Many adults will not need a new check, for example if their account has been open for more than 16 years or is linked to a credit card. The government says parents and children do not need to do anything right now.

What already applies

The ban is new, but other rules are already in force:

• Online Safety Act children's codes have applied since 25 July 2025, requiring platforms to protect children from harmful content.
• Fines under the Online Safety Act go up to £18 million or 10% of qualifying worldwide revenue, whichever is greater. Ofcom has opened more than 100 investigations.
• Phones in schools (England). The Department for Education's guidance became statutory on 29 June 2026, and since 1 September 2026 schools must have regard to it. Its default is mobile phone-free schools.

How the UK compares

Australia's under-16 ban has applied since 10 December 2025. Malaysia's and Brazil's rules are in force, Turkey's under-15 ban starts around 1 November 2026, and France's under-15 ban was struck down by its Constitutional Council in August 2026. See every country in our social media age laws by country tracker, and how Australia's ban is going.

Sources

• GOV.UK (15 June 2026). Social media to be banned for under-16s.
• GOV.UK. Fact sheet: new rules to protect children online.
• GOV.UK (July 2026). Growing up in the online world: government response.
• UK Parliament (15 July 2026). Written statement HLWS259.
• legislation.gov.uk. Children's Wellbeing and Schools Act 2026, section 70.
• House of Commons Library (October 2026). Research briefing CBP-10468.
• GOV.UK. Online Safety Act explainer.
• Department for Education. Mobile phones in schools.