UK under-16s social media ban to commence March 2027
Published: 30/09/2026
| The Guardian
Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Lisa Nandy has said that UK restrictions banning under-16s from accessing high-risk social media platforms are expected to commence by March 2027, with safer services facing restrictions. The safety measures follow a national consultation that drew over 116,000 responses, of which 85% of parents felt social media risks outweigh the benefits. The move is expected to affect popular apps such as TikTok, Snapchat, YouTube, Facebook and Instagram.
Speaking ahead of her Labour Party conference address, Nandy described the ban as merely a staging post towards an active, interventionist state policing the online environment. Additional rules targeting 16-17-year-olds will follow, including stricter age-verification procedures and limits on infinite scrolling, as well as algorithms that promote harmful content.
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