The UK government announced a ban on young people’s access to most social media platforms, along with livestreaming and chat features on certain gaming platforms. The ban is expected to begin early 2027, joining similar efforts by other countries like Australia, Canada, Greece, and Indonesia. But will the plan work? Last week, it emerged that Australian children are easily circumventing Canberra’s social media ban.
Hard Numbers
UK set to ban under-16s from social media
Farida Dowidar
By Farida DowidarJune 15, 2026
Farida Dowidar
Farida is an Egyptian-British student at Sciences Po Paris and the University of California, Berkeley, and a summer intern for GZERO Media. She likes to write about geopolitics, culture, and the Middle East & North Africa.
