Highlights
- The U.K. will extend its under-16 social media ban to gaming platforms from Spring 2027.
- New rules will restrict livestreaming and stranger messaging for minors on high-risk gaming services.
- Ukie says games remain separate from social media under the government’s new framework.
The U.K. government has confirmed that its upcoming social media restrictions for under-16s will also apply to parts of the gaming sector. The restrictions will target features such as livestreaming and communication with unknown users.
The measures, due to take effect in spring 2027, form part of a broader online safety overhaul led by the Department for Science, Innovation, and Technology. The government stated that the decision followed its March to May 2026 consultation, which drew more than 80K responses. Nine in 10 parents who responded backed limiting social media access for children.
Under the new framework, children under 16 will be barred from certain social platforms, while “high-risk” functions on other digital services, including gaming, will face tighter controls. These include stricter age verification and restrictions on direct contact from strangers.
Users aged 16 and 17 will still have access, but livestreaming and stranger messaging will be switched off by default.
UK Gaming Platforms Face New Age Verification Rules
The prime minister of the U.K., Keir Starmer, pointed out during an interview with Sky News that the government studied similar laws in Australia before finalizing its plan, while acknowledging enforcement would be difficult. He said the new rules are intended to address spaces where “strangers can contact any child unchecked,” identifying gaming services and livestreaming platforms as part of that wider concern.
The government clarified that games themselves are not included in the social media ban. Children will still be able to use games for entertainment and learning, alongside messaging apps such as WhatsApp and Signal.
Meanwhile, Ukie reported that it welcomed the government’s decision to treat games separately from social media. The group noted that platform-level parental controls already allow families to disable contact with unknown players. Revised Pan-European Game Information (PEGI) criteria now classify titles with unrestricted communication as PEGI 18, regardless of gameplay content.
The U.K.’s plan follows Australia’s rollout of a similar under-16 ban, which has faced enforcement issues. Regulators there said platforms, including Meta and Snap, had not done enough to block younger users. In Scotland, the children’s commissioner, Nicola Killean, has warned blanket restrictions could push minors toward less regulated parts of the internet.
With enforcement details still evolving, the U.K.’s expanded online safety rules could reshape how gaming platforms handle communication and child protection in the years ahead.
