When will social media ban start and what platforms are included?

When will social media ban start, and which apps will be affected? 1 hour ago Share Save Add as preferred on Google Liv McMahon Technology reporter Getty Images The UK has announced it is going to ban social media for under-16s. Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said that the ban would take effect in early 2027. He said keeping children off social media was "the right step for Britain" and the best way to keep them safe online. Live: Under-16s to be banned from social media Which social media platforms will be banned? The ban will cover platforms including Snapchat, TikTok, YouTube, Instagram, Facebook and X, the government said. An exhaustive list of which platforms the ban will apply to has not been released. However the government said it would apply to those "whose purpose is to enable social interaction and which allow users to post material". The measures will also require platforms to prevent children from being able to livestream, including on gaming platforms. The government said there would be a block on functions which allow strangers to communicate with children under-16. Restrictions on these functions would also be on by default for under-17s "to prevent a cliff-edge at 16". It said it was also looking into overnight curfews and breaks in infinite scrolling for under-18s, with more detail on this to be set out in July. AI "romantic companion" chatbots, which are designed to simulate sexual relationships or roleplay with users, will have to enforce a minimum age of 18. AI chatbots more widely will have to restrict "intimate functionalities" for under-18s, the government said. The government said it did not intend to include messaging services like WhatsApp and Signal in the social media ban. Most social media platforms already require children to be over 13 to create an account and use their services. When will the social media ban be introduced? The prime minister said the government plans to pass regulations before Christmas. This would allow the ban to be introduced by spring 2027. "It will make our children safer. It will make our children happier. It will give them more time, more security, more freedom to grow up," Sir Keir said. The announcement follows a public consultation which received more than 120,000 responses. How will it be enforced? The prime minister said the UK's measures would not mean that no child would ever be able to log onto social media again, but that it was nevertheless important to act. "They get around other laws," Sir Keir said. "But we don't say 'oh look a teenager managed to get a drink somehow so let's not bother banning alcohol sales to children'." The government said "highly effective age assurance" measures will be used to check the age of those using social media. This typically involves requiring companies to use tech that can accurately estimate or verify someone's age - such as using face scans or asking for ID. The regulator Ofcom has been asked to carry out a rapid study to identify the best w