The UK under-16 social media ban: what has been announced and when it starts
On 15 June 2026 the government announced that children under 16 will be banned from using social media. This page sets out what is confirmed, what is still undecided, and what the ban does and does not change for families who want to claim for harm that has already happened.
Is there a social media ban for under-16s in the UK?
Yes, it has been announced but it is not in force yet. Prime Minister Keir Starmer set out the plan at a news conference on 15 June 2026. The House of Commons Library records that the ban is expected to take effect in spring 2027, and that the government is aiming to lay the necessary regulations before Parliament by the end of 2026. Until those regulations are made, children under 16 are not legally barred from the apps.
When will the UK under-16 social media ban start?
No exact date has been given. Reports at the announcement said “early next year”, and the Commons Library says spring 2027. The legal route is a new power added to the Online Safety Act 2023 by the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Act 2026, which requires the government to bring in regulations restricting children’s access or the features they can use. Those regulations have to be written and approved first.
Which apps does the under-16 ban cover?
NPR reported that the announcement named Snapchat, TikTok, YouTube, Instagram, Facebook and X, and said YouTube Kids and messaging services such as WhatsApp and Signal are not covered. The full list is not final until the regulations are published. If you want to know how each platform is already being challenged in the courts, see our pages on TikTok, Instagram, Snapchat and YouTube.
How will the ban be enforced?
Mr Starmer said enforcement will fall on technology companies, not on children, and that platforms which fail to take reasonable steps to keep under-16s off could face multimillion-dollar fines, according to NPR. The reports we have read do not say which regulator will enforce it or what the exact penalties will be, so we do not state either. The plan follows the model Australia has used since 10 December 2025, and the government also wants to stop strangers contacting children on gaming and livestreaming platforms.
What was the consultation?
The government’s “Growing up in the online world” consultation ran from 2 March to 26 May 2026 and received 116,211 responses. NPR reported that more than 90% of respondents wanted an under-16 ban. A further measure announced on 15 July 2026 would switch addictive features off by default for 16- and 17-year-olds and apply a default overnight curfew on social media apps from midnight to 6am.
Does the ban affect a claim for harm already suffered?
No. A future ban is about what children can do from the date it applies. It does not decide whether a child or young adult who was harmed in the past has a claim, and it does not shorten any deadline. Claims are about how the apps were designed and what the companies knew when the child used them, which is the evidence set out on our page on what courts have found. The usual deadlines are explained in time limits for social media harm claims: three years, with the clock starting at 18 for harm suffered as a child.
What should parents do now?
Do not wait for the ban to start. If your child has been affected, our guide for parents explains what to write down and keep, and young people who used these apps as children can check where they stand in their own name. The step-by-step explanation of how a claim works and the frequently asked questions answer the most common worries, including cost.
Where to follow what happens next
We record each development, with its source, on our case updates page and in the news section. This page was last checked on 15 October 2026 against the House of Commons Library briefing and NPR’s report of the announcement, and will be updated when the regulations are published. This is general information, not legal advice.
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