UK Bans Social Media for Under-16s, AI Romance Chatbots for Under-18s

UK enacts sweeping digital restrictions for minors

The United Kingdom has officially enacted legislation banning social media access for children under 16, with enforcement set to begin in spring 2027. Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced the landmark policy Monday, positioning the UK as taking "world-leading action" on child online safety.

The ban targets user-to-user platforms designed for social interaction that allow users to post content and employ algorithmic feeds. Covered platforms include TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, X, YouTube, and Snapchat. Messaging services like WhatsApp and Signal are explicitly excluded from the restrictions.

The UK is following Australia's regulatory approach, which implemented a similar ban in late 2024. Media regulator Ofcom will work out implementation details and enforce compliance.

AI romantic chatbots face age restrictions

In a parallel move addressing emerging technology risks, the UK government announced that AI "romantic companion" chatbots—systems designed to simulate sexual relationships or roleplay—must enforce a minimum age requirement of 18. Similar intimate functionalities will be restricted for users under 18 across AI chatbots more broadly.

The government characterized these measures as "a much more comprehensive model than just a blanket ban on social media—one that responds to how children experience harm online, rather than just where it happens."

Why it matters

This dual-pronged regulatory approach signals how governments are expanding child protection frameworks beyond traditional social media to address AI-powered services that blur lines between technology and human relationships. The AI chatbot restrictions represent one of the first national-level age requirements specifically targeting synthetic companionship applications, establishing a potential template as these services proliferate globally. For technology companies, the UK's comprehensive model—combining platform bans with feature-specific restrictions—suggests regulators are moving toward more granular controls that target specific harms rather than platform categories alone.

Implementation and enforcement

Ofcom noted it has already driven "some of the strongest changes of any online safety regulation in the world, from widespread age checks to grooming protections for children," but emphasized that "the industry needs to go much further to make people safe."

Starmer framed the policy as responding to parental concerns: "Parents want to keep their kids safe and happy, but the online world has made that harder than ever. I've heard firsthand from families crying out for change and we will do right by them."

The government promised the restrictions would deliver "less time for scrolling and more time for play," aiming to "kickstart a cultural shift" for future generations.

Details were first reported by The Hollywood Reporter.