In June 2026 the UK Government announced plans to ban social media access for children under the age of 16 and impose restrictions for those aged 16-17.
This means that the following platforms will not be allowed to offer accounts or services to those under 16.
• TikTok
• Snapchat
• YouTube
• X (Twitter)
Whilst this news that been met with a diverse reaction the reasoning behind this is to improve online safety and protect young people from harmful content and cyberbullying, and addictive features to limit screentime. This comes as a further update to the Online Safety Act 2023 which required companies to reduce harm online.
The law is expected to pass through parliament in late 2026 and me in legislation from Spring 2027. How this will work is still up for debate with social media companies requesting confirmation of these changes. This could be through facial recognition, ID checks when creating accounts or other verification to ensure those on social media are above the age of 16.
This will also ban live streaming for those under 16s and make messaging to strangers blocked on sites such as Discord. There will also be safer settings for those aged 16-17 – it has yet to be confirmed how these changes will come into effect with information expected from the UK Government later this month.
One question that has been asked of the Government is how this will be monitored. They have confirmed that OFCOM will oversee this change and could fine companies who fail to ensure the necessary changes.
A further question about how this will work is the need to understand how this will impact students who use sites such as YouTube for online learning. You will still be able to access these platforms but expect there to be heavy restrictions which could require account access to view content. For those over 16 you will also face tighter restrictions with time limits and blocking of further features. It is also important to mention that whilst this may limit access to news and articles relevant to subjects you are studying it will also remove any misinformation being viewed and interpreted. School online platforms and WhatsApp is still available to collaborate and share information.
In summary, whilst these changes are new and come with more questions than answers, it is important to recognise that this will change how digital literacy is viewed and changes should be viewed as a way of improving this. It would be useful to start looking at what your social media usage is and seeing whether you need to limit screen time on certain sites of change habits. Using social media comes with its benefits and challenges but strong understanding of online safety and how to protect yourself online is crucial in remaining safe. The success of this ultimately depends on how well this is implemented, and we will continue to update on any changes as they come in.
Many Thanks
Studiero