Proposed social media ban for under-16s raises enforcement and privacy concerns
Associate Stephen Cartwright comments on the Government's proposed ban on social media use by under-16s, including the legal and practical challenges around age verification, data protection and enforcement.
"The proposed ban reflects a broader move to regulate not just access to platforms, but also the addictive features that drive engagement among younger users, such as algorithms, live streaming and infinite scrolling. However, the key challenge for platforms will be demonstrating compliance through effective age verification and enforcement, particularly given that such measures have historically been easy for users to circumvent.
"While tools such as facial estimation and ID checks are envisaged, in practice these raise data protection concerns, particularly where children’s personal data is processed. It will be interesting to see the UK Government’s approach to enforcement, including whether GDPR-style fines are deployed against non-compliant platforms.
"From a user perspective, there is also a real risk that a blanket ban may push under-16s towards less regulated platforms (and potentially less controlled content), thereby undermining its intended effect."
Stephen’s comments were published in City AM and Computer Weekly, 15 June 2026.
