The United Kingdom on Monday announced a ban on social media apps for users under the age of 16.
UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer remarked that keeping children off social media is the best way to keep them safe online.
The ban, which will be introduced early 2027, will cover platforms sch as Snapchat, TikTok, YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, and X. Though a complete list of platforms which will be banned has yet to be released.
The government has said that it will ban apps “whose purpose is to enable social interaction and which allow users to post material.”
The ban will not include messaging services such as WhatsApp and Signal, along with YouTube Kids, which allows parental controls.
In February 2026, Portugal passed a law which allowed parental authorisation for users under ages 13 to 16 and prevent children under 13 from even signing up on social media apps.
In December 2025, Australia became the first country to ban young teenagers from social media. A raft of the world’s most popular apps and websites face US$33 million fines if they fail to purge Australia-based users younger than 16.
