UK Social Media Ban for Minors Has Privacy Experts Worried

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The UK will ban adolescents under 16 years old from user-to-user social-media platforms, despite age-verification issues and privacy concerns.

June 17, 2026

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said on Monday that the UK will ban adolescents from accessing some social media sites, interacting with certain AI chatbots, and using livestreaming and certain gaming sites, making it the latest developed country to take on social-media companies.

User-to-user platforms — such as Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok, X, and YouTube — are the primary target of the ban, which will go into effect in early 2027, the UK government stated. The regulations could include limits on "infinite scrolling" and creating digital curfews for children under 18 to prevent late-night sessions.