The UK government announced that it will be implementing a social media ban for all those aged under 16 years old next year.
While there are still many unanswered questions, the government has listed the social media platforms that will be included in the ban. Alongside the perhaps expected platforms such as Instagram, X, Snapchat and Facebook however is YouTube. Many are surprised to see YouTube included in the ban, as the platform is self-described as a video-sharing platform rather than social media.
So, why has the government chosen to ban YouTube for under-16s? When will the ban come into full effect?
We answer everything you need to know about why YouTube is included in the UK social media ban, plus provide more information about the ban as a whole. For a broader look at the ban, visit our dedicated UK social media ban explainer, while our Home Editor Dave Ludlow explains why he thinks the ban is a good idea.
The government has stated that YouTube will be included in the UK social media ban for under 16s. In addition, live-streaming will also be restricted for those under 16 too.
What about YouTube Kids – is that also banned?
Although the government hasn’t officially stated whether or not YouTube Kids is included in the ban, it is widely thought that it will not be banned. As reported by a so-called Whitehall Insider to the The Sun, “YouTube Kids won’t be covered.”
YouTube Kids is essentially a filtered iteration of the standard YouTube platform, and promises to only include age-appropriate videos so children should be able to explore it freely without risk of coming across harmful content. Plus, YouTube Kids includes parental controls that allows parents to set time limits, check what kids have been watching and more.
Why is standard YouTube included but YouTube Kids excluded?
We should note that the government hasn’t explicitly stated that YouTube Kids has been excluded from the ban. However, we would assume that the decision to exclude YouTube Kids is due to the fact it only allows age-appropriate videos on the platform, and is equipped with plenty of parental controls to ensure parents and guardians can keep an eye on their children’s screen time and general use of the app.
However, many have criticised the government’s decision to include YouTube in the ban as many children use the tool purely for educational content. While YouTube Kids does promise to include “educational how-tos” and arts and crafts videos, there are many videos that although technically are family friendly and don’t contain any harmful content, won’t be included within YouTube Kids.
Having said that, it’s worth noting that the parent account that controls YouTube Kids can share videos directly from YouTube into the YouTube Kids app.
When does the YouTube ban take effect for under-16s?
The UK government has stated that the social media ban for under 16s, which will include YouTube, should be implemented in Spring 2027. This will follow the first set of regulations which should be laid out by the end of the year.
What other platforms are included in the ban?
At the time of writing, the government has said that alongside YouTube, the social media ban will include Instagram, X, Facebook, TikTok and Snapchat. Messaging apps like Whatsapp and Signal are not expected to be included.
Although YouTube is described as a video-sharing platform, it is commonly considered as being a social networking service. This is mainly due to the fact that users can easily interact with others, whether that’s through replying to comments and polls or responding to channels’ posts. So, while it’s not quite as clearcut as the likes of Facebook or X, it’s still undeniably a way to communicate with others.
Most importantly, the government sees YouTube as a form of social media which is why the platform has decided to include it in the upcoming ban.
