In March 2026, the Government launched its nationwide consultation Growing up in the Online World, seeking views on how best to protect children online. The consultation followed similar moves internationally, most notably Australia’s introduction of age-based restrictions on access to social media.
At the time, there was considerable uncertainty about the Government’s intentions. Although the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Act 2026, which came into force in April 2026, gave ministers the power to restrict children’s access to online services, the details of any restrictions remained unclear. Questions surrounding social media, online functionalities and age verification were left to be determined through future regulations made under the Act.
Following the consultation and significant public engagement, the Government has now confirmed that it intends to use those powers to introduce a ban on certain social media services for children under 16.
What is changing?
The Government has confirmed that it intends to adopt a model broadly similar to that implemented in Australia.
The Government’s stated aim is to reduce children’s exposure to harmful content and addictive platform features while still allowing them to access the internet for education, entertainment and communication with family and friends.
Which platforms will be affected?
One of the challenges identified during the consultation was defining what constitutes “social media”.
While most people can identify the major social media platforms, drawing a legal distinction between social media services, gaming platforms, messaging apps and other online services is less straightforward.
The Government has indicated that it intends to adopt an approach similar to Australia’s model, focusing on platforms whose primary purpose is social interaction and the sharing of user-generated content.
In Australia, the federal government has included these platforms:
– YouTube (excluding YouTube Kids)
However, a key regulatory challenge will be defining the scope of affected services. As technology evolves, online services increasingly blend social networking, gaming, entertainment and communication features. Determining which services fall within the regulations may therefore prove controversial and could become the subject of legal challenge.
Restrictions going beyond social media?
The proposals extend further than a straightforward social media ban.
The Government has confirmed that several high-risk online features will be restricted for under-16s across a broader range of services, including gaming platforms. The restrictions are expected to cover:
– livestreaming functionality;
– communication with unknown adults or strangers; and
– other features considered to pose particular risks to children.
Some safeguards will continue beyond the under-16 age limit. For users aged 16 and 17, livestreaming and features that enable contact with strangers will be switched off by default.
How will age verification work?
A key issue for both platforms and users will be age assurance.
The Government has confirmed that stronger age-checking requirements will underpin the new restrictions. Ofcom is expected to publish further guidance on acceptable forms of age assurance, with an emphasis on methods that are reliable, proportionate and privacy friendly.
Not all adults are expected to be required to complete new verification processes. According to the Government, some existing account information may be sufficient to demonstrate a user’s age, while others may be able to satisfy the requirements through relatively straightforward checks such as facial age estimation technology.
Nevertheless, questions remain about accuracy, privacy and accessibility, particularly for users who may not possess conventional forms of identification.
Policy objective one of the Government’s principal aims is to reduce children’s exposure to online harm and limit opportunities for exploitation. Offences involving children increasingly have an online dimension, including grooming, sexual communications with a child, blackmail, harassment, stalking and the sharing of indecent images.
Intended effect of the restrictions The Government argues that restricting under-16s’ access to certain social media platforms—and limiting higher-risk features such as livestreaming and communication with strangers—will reduce opportunities for grooming, exploitation and other harmful activity involving children.
Practical limitations it remains uncertain whether the measures will produce a meaningful reduction in online offending. Critics argue that young people may circumvent the restrictions by:
• moving to alternative platforms;
• using VPNs; or
• accessing accounts through parents or older siblings.
The outcome will therefore depend largely on the effectiveness of age-assurance measures and platforms’ willingness to enforce the new rules.
Wider regulatory implications whether the measures ultimately reduce online harm remains to be seen. What is clear is that Governments are increasingly willing to intervene in children’s online lives and place greater responsibility on technology companies to protect younger users.
The proposed restrictions mark a significant shift away from parental oversight and platform self-regulation towards a more prescriptive statutory framework. As the regulations are developed and implemented, four issues are likely to remain central to the debate:
• enforceability;
• privacy;
• proportionality;
• effectiveness.
