The latest in a series of massive clampdowns by the UK government will see many social media services banned for a certain age group, and there is widespread concern for those affected that gaming services used regularly will be included.
On June 15, at around 8 AM, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced a ban on certain social media platforms. If you’re wondering which are affected and if it includes gaming platforms or services, read on for full details.
Will Twitch or Kick be Banned in UK as Part of Social Media Ban?
At the time of writing, the UK has not publicly announced that Twitch and Kick are being banned; however, there is an ‘exhaustive list of which platforms’ yet to be announced, and they will likely be on it.
The BBC is quoted as saying:
‘An exhaustive list of which platforms the ban will apply to has not been released. However the government said it would apply to those “whose purpose is to enable social interaction and which allow users to post material”.
The measures will also require platforms to prevent children from being able to livestream, including on gaming platforms.’
This all but confirms that Twitch and Kick livestreaming for Under-16s will be stopped, and they will likely be banned from interacting with the platforms altogether, but this is unofficial for now.
Does the UK Social Media Ban Affect Gaming Like PlayStation, Xbox, or PC?
There doesn’t seem to be any further legislation concerning Under-16s and playing on PlayStation, Xbox, PC, or any other gaming platforms.
Never say never with new gaming laws and bans. For now, though, it seems that it’s just social media being targeted. But we are already seeing a ramp-up in age verification concerning multiple gaming services.
- More Insider Gaming: “Buy Now, Pay Later” Option Appears on XBOX Backend
Sony has stated multiple times that PlayStation Age verification is happening, and we’ve already seen Roblox age verification.
When does the UK Social Media Ban Start?
The law on the UK Social Media Ban first needs to be presented and green-lit in parliament, which Starmer is hoping for as soon as late-2026, with a full ‘Spring 2027’ implementation planned.
Once again, I differ to the BBC:
‘The prime minister said the government plans to pass regulations before Christmas. This would allow the ban to be introduced by spring 2027.’
So, there is a chance this might not go through, but the UK Government site claims that this notion is ‘backed by 9 in 10 parents,’ and the chances of it happening are great.
Everything Included in UK Social Media Ban
Some of the biggest social media platforms in the world, including Facebook, X, and TikTok, will be part of the nationwide ban.
Here are the first social media platforms officially confirmed in the ban:
- Snapchat
- TikTok
- YouTube
- X
Again, I stress that there is an unconfirmed list of many other platforms that will be included if the ban is passed. So far, there has been no word on BlueSky, nor WhatsApp.
An official announcement on the full list of platforms to be banned for Under-16s will be revealed later down the line.
What is the UK Social Media Ban?
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer has cited multiple reasons for the social media ban: Bullying, its addictive nature, and the betterment of child growth and development.
The UK Government website also said this:
‘Children will be given back their childhoods thanks to government action to ban social media platforms from offering services to under-16s, with less time for scrolling and more time for play.
The plans will set a new normal for future generations, kickstarting a cultural shift and driving forward the government’s fight to give every child the best start in life.
The government plans to use the same model for a social media ban as Australia. This would capture user-to-user platforms, whose purpose is to enable social interaction and which allow users to post material, alongside algorithms. The ban will therefore include platforms like Snapchat, TikTok, YouTube, Instagram, Facebook and X. We do not intend for messaging services like WhatsApp and Signal to be included in the social media ban.
In a move to protect children online and address the scale of the challenge, the government will also go further than a blanket ban on social media with world-leading blocks on harmful functions such as livestreaming and stranger communication with children for under-16s. These restrictions – which together with the ban go further than any other country – will apply to a wider range of online services, including on gaming sites.’
In short, this is a protective measure to overcome the everyday consumption of social media and the harm it’s doing to newer generations.
- More Insider Gaming: EA To Bring More In-Game Advertisements With New Branch
Australia introduced its own ban in 2025, and we’ve already seen America briefly take TikTok offline. We could start to see this more and more around the world.
Have your say: Is this a good thing? Do we need to see more regulations in place to give the next generation a brighter future? Let us know through the Insider Gaming Discord.
Check out the former head of Sony Interactive believing gaming’s future is Indie.
Andy is Insider Gaming's Senior Evergreen Editor and has been in the games journalism sphere in one way or another for over 7 years. His video game taste is as…
More from Andrew Highton
Comments