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UK under-16 social media age-check ban

Public Sector Action
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H score 25
1 unique sources, 1 articles

Summary

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The UK government announced a ban on under-16s using social media, requiring age checks for new accounts and tightening access to major platforms. The rollout is set for spring 2027, with regulations due before Christmas and Ofcom asked to study verification methods. New users will likely need to upload an ID or pass a facial age scan, while long-standing accounts are mostly grandfathered. The move pushes UK social media toward verified access and away from anonymous account creation.

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Timeline

  1. 16.06.2026 17:38 2 articles · 1h ago

    UK government announces under-16 social media age-check ban

    Initial Disclosure

    Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced a UK plan to ban social media use by under-16s, requiring platforms to age-check new accounts by ID upload or facial age scan while largely grandfathering long-standing accounts. The named services include Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, Snapchat, Facebook and X, with regulations due before Christmas and enforcement planned for spring 2027.

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