The UK government says it plans to ban social media platforms from offering services to children under 16, with the first restrictions are expected to take effect in spring 2027.

The government said regulations are expected to be brought before Parliament before Christmas. The policy intends to reduce children’s exposure to addictive platform features, harmful content and contact from strangers online.

The ban is expected to target major user-to-user platforms, with the government saying under-16s will no longer be able to use certain social media services. The government said the model would include platforms such as Snapchat, TikTok, YouTube, Instagram, Facebook and X.

Messaging services such as WhatsApp and Signal are not intended to be included in the social media ban, according to the government.

The proposal follows a national conversation on children’s online lives. The government said nine in ten parents supported a minimum age of 16 for social media access.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer said the move was intended to “give children their childhoods back” and protect them from the effects of online platforms.

The government says the UK will draw on Australia’s approach to under-16 social media restrictions. Further details on enforcement and implementation are crucial and expected before the rules come into force.

Ofcom, the UK’s communications regulator, will have a central role. Ofcom said it would support the government’s plans and continue work under the Online Safety Act to improve protections for children online.

The policy goes beyond a general social media ban. The government also plans restrictions on harmful features for children on other online services, including gaming and live-streaming platforms. These include limits on live-streaming, contact from strangers and other features considered risky for children.

The government is also considering further protections for older teenagers, including default restrictions for 16- and 17-year-olds. Further details are expected in July.

Critics and online safety experts have warned that enforcement may be difficult. Children could try to bypass age checks using false ages, VPNs or less visible platforms.

Some critics have also warned that a ban could push children’s online activity underground, making it harder for parents, regulators and platforms to monitor risk.

Supporters of the plan argue that voluntary safety measures by social media companies have failed to protect children. Technology Secretary Liz Kendall said tech companies had been given repeated opportunities to act and that the government was “taking power away from the tech giants and putting it back in parents’ hands.”

The proposed ban marks one of the most significant interventions yet by the UK government into children’s access to social media.

The central question now is whether age checks and enforcement measures can make the policy work in practice.