The government has said Ofcom will conduct a ‘rapid study’ on how to do age verification under the new measures. Photograph: ljubaphoto/Getty Images View image in fullscreen The government has said Ofcom will conduct a ‘rapid study’ on how to do age verification under the new measures. Photograph: ljubaphoto/Getty Images Social media ban Explainer UK under-16s social media ban: which apps will be blocked and how will it work? After PM announces ‘Australia plus’ plan, we look at how it is likely to be enforced – and potential problems ahead
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Prefer the Guardian on Google Social media access in the UK is to be banned for under-16s as part of an online safety drive that includes a host of other restrictions.
Keir Starmer said the changes were a “line in the sand” for tech companies that had failed to keep children safe. Here are details of the ban and other online safety measures announced by the government on Monday.
Snapchat, TikTok, YouTube, Instagram, X and Facebook will all be blocked. The government is using the same framework as in Australia. It will ban under-16s’ access for “user-to-user platforms” that enable social interaction between users, allow them to post material and use algorithms to recommend content – jargon for social media. This means every major platform is captured. Currently, you have to be at least 13 in the UK to use major social media platforms.
The major social media apps that are age restricted in Australia are: Facebook, Instagram, Kick, Reddit, Snapchat, Threads, TikTok, Twitch, X and YouTube.
Read more The messaging platforms WhatsApp and Signal will not be included in the ban, according to the government. There will be a “narrowly defined” list of other exemptions, because the government does not want to hit music streaming, e-commerce platforms or educational services. YouTube Kids, Lego Play, Google Classroom and Pinterest will be exempted.
The government expects the ban, which follows a consultation that received more than 116,000 responses, to come into force by spring next year. It will publish the full response to the consultation next month.
The plan is being called an “Australia plus” ban because other measures are being introduced as well. Livestreaming and communication with strangers will be blocked for under-16s on a “wider range of online services” such as gaming sites like Roblox.
These restrictions would also be on by default for 16- and 17-year-olds on the major social media apps to prevent a “cliff edge” scenario when teenagers turned 16, the government said. Ministers are hoping that keeping restrictions in place for newcomers to social media will head off that threat. Limits on infinite scrolling and social media curfews are also under consideration for that age group.
So-called “romantic companion” chatbots, which simulate sexual relationships and roleplay with users, are to have a minimum age limit of 18. Other chatbots will also have an age limit of 18 on “intimate functionalities”.
There is more work to come from the government in July, when an update will address issues such as how to deal with virtual private networks, which allow users to circumvent geographical bans. Ministers will also set out further plans for 16- and 17-year-olds next month.
The announcement suggests that the government could harden – or at least modify – the age-verification process already in place…