UK Government Plans to Ban Social Media for Under-16s, Putting Ofcom at Centre of Age-Verification Enforcement

The UK government has announced sweeping proposals to prohibit children under 16 from accessing major social media platforms, including Snapchat, TikTok, YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, and X. Prime Minister Keir Starmer described the measures as going "further than any country in the world," drawing on Australia's regulatory model as inspiration. Messaging services such as WhatsApp and Signal are expected to remain exempt. The proposals extend well beyond a simple access ban. Livestreaming would be blocked for under-16s, stranger communication restricted, and default protections applied for 16- and 17-year-olds. So-called 'romantic companion' chatbots — AI tools designed to simulate intimate relationships — would be restricted to users aged 18 and over. The government also intends to impose potential limits on overnight usage and infinite scrolling features across a wider range of digital services, including gaming platforms. A central enforcement mechanism is the introduction of Highly Effective Age Assurance (HEAA) measures. Ofcom has been tasked with conducting a rapid review of age verification methods and will receive additional funding to enforce the new restrictions, uphold existing provisions of the Online Safety Act, and tackle illegal content. The reforms draw on powers under the Children's Wellbeing and Schools Act and are expected to come into force by Spring 2027. Technology companies have been given a three-month deadline to make meaningful progress on preventing children from accessing or sharing explicit imagery. The policy follows a national consultation attracting more than 116,000 responses, with 90% of parents backing the ban.