Children under the age of 16 will be banned from a raft of social media platforms under drastic new laws - but it won't just be users of Snapchat and Instagram affected.15:58, 15 Jun 2026Plans to ban social media from children announced today will go further than stopping teens from accessing apps like Snapchat and TikTok.‌Keir Starmer today confirmed plans for sweeping changes to the way children are able to use social media, aiming to curb the amount of time children spend online. Platforms like YouTube, Instagram and Facebook are set to be affected, with enforcement against tech companies expected to come in Spring 2027‌However, the Government doesn’t plan to stop there. Today’s announcement confirmed that gaming platforms will be hit by the new laws in an attempt to “protect children, back parents and set a new normal for future generations”, the Prime Minister said.‌Sir Keir claimed that “tech giants had their chance and failed” over safeguarding children. He added: “Parents want to keep their kids safe and happy, but the online world has made that harder than ever.“I’ve heard first hand from families crying out for change and we will do right by them. That’s why we’re going further than any country in the world by banning social media for under-16s and putting wider protections in place to give kids their childhood back.“This is a line in the sand.”‌The PM’s sentiment is clear; there will soon be a point of no return for online access for children. But what does it mean for gaming?What Keir Starmer’s strict online safety rules mean for UK gamersGovernment officials have confirmed that the restrictions will include live-streaming and communication with strangers for children on gaming platforms. Officials say that while the ban includes gaming services, it will not affect the ability for children to play multiplayer games online.‌Restrictions on live-streaming and stranger communication will be ‘on by default’ for 16 and 17-year-olds, as part of plans to prevent a ‘cliff-edge’ for youngsters when they turn 16. Older teens will therefore be affected even if they aren’t included in the age band.The live-streaming ban will be for under-16s streaming themselves across all platforms. A full list of affected gaming and social media providers is yet to be confirmed but there are a number of gaming platforms that have already come under fire and will likely be in the crosshairs once the ban is implemented.Multiplayer game Roblox has come under severe scrutiny both in the UK and the United States, where its parent company Roblox Corporation is based. Concerns over child safety have led to lawsuits in the US and investigations by governments across Europe.‌Roblox is effectively its own online ecosystem where users build their own games and communicate. The proposals from the UK government won’t prevent users under the age of 16 from playing it, but it will likely mean that Roblox will have to undergo a complete change for children to continue using it.Public text and voice chat options will most likely have to be disabled entirely for under-16s. Furthermore, any young creators streaming natively through Roblox will no longer be able to do so.Article continues belowOther titles likely to be affected by the new proposals include hugely popular games like Fortnite, which could see stranger communication blocked by default for young players. Another online-based game like Roblox, in Minecraft, will need to make changes to its user-hosted multiplayer severs where text chats allow players to mingle regardless of age.Away from actual gaming platforms, Discord may also come under the new laws. The communication app is deeply embedded in the gaming community and has been flagged by child safety organisations like the NSPCC as a service that opens children up to harm.While today’s proposals will not ban messaging apps like WhatsApp or Signal, it may be that the government include apps like Discord within the new law. However, the UK government has laid out its intention to examine the Australian model of online safety laws for children and Discord does not fall under the Australian social media ban.