The UK government is expected to unveil sweeping restrictions on social media use by children under the age of 16, in what could become one of the country’s most significant online safety interventions to date.
According to media reports, the proposed measures would bar under-16s from accessing “high-risk” social media platforms while introducing tighter controls on features considered harmful or addictive. While the government is yet to publish the final list of affected platforms, major services such as TikTok, Instagram, X and Snapchat are widely expected to come under scrutiny.
The move follows a nationwide consultation that received more than 116,000 responses, with a vast majority of parents backing stronger safeguards for children’s online experiences. Prime Minister Keir Starmer is expected to outline the proposals, which have been described as going beyond Australia’s existing under-16 social media restrictions.
Reports also suggest that in addition to platform-level restrictions, the proposals are expected to curb functionalities such as disappearing messages, livestreaming and interactions with unknown adults, even on services deemed relatively safer for younger users. Reports also suggest that users under 18 could be prohibited from accessing AI chatbots designed around romantic or sexual themes.
The measures are likely to rely on age-verification mechanisms enabled through the UK’s existing regulatory framework, although questions remain around enforcement, privacy implications and the effectiveness of such restrictions in preventing minors from circumventing the rules. The government is expected to provide further clarity on implementation timelines and the platforms that will fall within the scope of the restrictions in the coming days.
