On June 15, 2026, the UK government announced a big new plan for children online. Under the plan, children under 16 will not be allowed to use some social media apps. The list is expected to include Snapchat, TikTok, YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, and X. Messaging apps such as WhatsApp and Signal are not expected to be included. The government says the new rules should start in spring 2027, after regulations go to Parliament later in 2026. (gov.uk)
Why is Britain doing this? The government says many families are worried about harmful content, too much screen time, and strangers talking to children online. In a national consultation, officials received more than 116,000 responses. They said 9 in 10 parents supported a ban for under-16s. They also said about two-thirds of young people agreed that children under 16 should not be allowed to use at least some social media platforms. (gov.uk)
The plan is not only about banning apps. The government also wants to block risky features for children, such as livestreaming and messages from strangers on other online services, including gaming sites. For 16- and 17-year-olds, some of these features would be turned off by default. Officials also said they will give more details in July and are studying other ideas, such as night-time limits and breaks from endless scrolling. (gov.uk)
Still, not everyone agrees. Some critics say age checks are hard to enforce, so some teens may find ways around the rules. Others say the deeper problem is the harmful content and the systems that keep pushing it to young users. Meta also said bans may cut teens off from useful online communities and information. Supporters, however, say tech companies had many chances to protect children and did not do enough. In the UK, this debate is only starting, but one thing is clear: social media rules for young people are changing fast. (apnews.com)










