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UK has "no plans" to replicate Australia's social media ban (yet)

Date:
Wed, 10 Dec 2025 15:16:04 +0000

Description:
Australian teens are now locked out of their social media accounts as the
under-16s ban goes live. If it proves to work, "we would certainly consider
it," said UK Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy.

FULL STORY

It's been less than 24 hours since Australia's landmark social media ban for
under-16s came into effect, and the UK government is already being asked
whether it intends to follow suit. 

However, UK Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy confirmed today (December 10) that
the government has "no plans" to replicate the legislation. Speaking on Sky
News , Nandy cited concerns about enforceability and the risk that banning
access could "push young people into other places" online. 

However, the door isn't entirely closed. In a separate appearance on BBC
Breakfast , Nandy admitted that the government "would certainly consider it,"
provided there was evidence that it worked and that young people trusted the
process.

Is age-gating content the right apporach?

The UK made headlines earlier this year when it began enforcing the age
verification provisions of its Online Safety Act legislation. 

Under these rules, platforms must ensure users are over 18 before granting
access to inappropriate material. This has impacted a wide range of services,
from adult sites and dating apps to social media and user-generated content
platforms. 

But the move has sparked backlash. Despite agreeing on the importance of
protecting children online, privacy experts and digital rights advocates have
strongly criticized mandatory age checks, calling them a dangerous " privacy
tradeoff ." 

These privacy concerns have pushed many Brits towards the best VPNs to bypass
age checks. Ofcom has acknowledged the challenge that circumvention tools 
like VPNs pose and is currently monitoring their use . 

Given this cat-and-mouse dynamic, it's hardly surprising that officials in 
the UK are questioning whether Australia's wide-ranging legislation may have
an "enforceability" problem. 

Will banning teens from social media entirely be the next step in the UK? The
UK Culture Secretary doesn't seem convinced just yet, but other influential
figures are already aligning themselves with Canberra's tougher stance. 

 Talking to PoliticsHome, Joani Reid, chair of the Childrens Online Safety
All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG), said: "The principle of it is a
fantastic thing, and if it is successful and implemented well, I hope that 
the government will look at it." 

We test and review VPN services in the context of legal recreational uses. 
For example:1. Accessing a service from another country (subject to the terms
and conditions of that service).2. Protecting your online security and
strengthening your online privacy when abroad.We do not support or condone
using a VPN service to break the law or conduct illegal activities. Consuming
pirated content that is paid-for is neither endorsed nor approved by Future
Publishing. 

======================================================================
Link to news story:
https://www.techradar.com/vpn/vpn-privacy-security/uk-has-no-plans-to-replicat
e-australias-social-media-ban-yet

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