UK Plans Further Online Safety Crackdown After Under-16 Social Media Ban

The UK government plans to go further on online safety after announcing a ban on under-16s accessing high-risk social media platforms. UK Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy called the ban a “staging post” rather than the end of the crackdown. The rules take effect in March 2027 and will cover apps including TikTok, Snapchat, YouTube and Instagram. Teenagers aged 16 and 17 will face restrictions on features such as infinite scrolling and algorithmic content feeds, along with tighter age-verification checks.

Nandy said the government wants a more active role in regulating online spaces and making technology companies accountable for safety. More than 116,000 people responded to the consultation on the ban, with 85% of parents saying the risks of social media outweighed the benefits. Nandy acknowledged concerns over Ofcom’s ability to enforce existing rules, saying laws are only effective if regulators can enforce them.

Age verification remains a problem for dating platforms. Ofcom found that more than one in ten 15- to 17-year-olds used three of the UK’s most-used dating apps in December 2025, despite age checks designed to keep minors out. The regulator has called for stronger measures, including challenge-age policies and liveness detection to prevent children from using photos or prerecorded videos of adults to pass verification.

Source: The Guardian