Government 'looking seriously' at banning under-16s from Vinted and eBay

The UK plans to restrict under-16s from using major social media services from March next year. The government has not published the complete list, but it says services enabling social interaction and user-posted material could be covered. This may include marketplaces with messaging tools.

Instagram, TikTok and Snapchat are among the platforms already named. YouTube is included, but YouTube Kids is not. Vinted and eBay could be added, alongside Depop and Facebook Marketplace. Gaming services may also face restrictions where strangers can contact children.

The rules will not necessarily remove every feature from every service. Roblox, for example, is not expected to be completely banned, but its chat function could be restricted. The government is still considering the final scope, while technology companies and industry groups are asking for proportionate rules.

The government announced that children under 16 will be prevented from accessing 10 of the biggest social media platforms. The measure is intended to keep children safe online. It focuses on services whose purpose is social interaction and that allow users to post material.

The scope can extend beyond traditional social media. Livestreaming tools, messaging features and functions that let strangers contact children may bring gaming sites and online marketplaces into consideration. YouTube is included, while YouTube Kids is excluded because it is designed to be safer for children.

The full list of affected platforms has not been released. Roblox will not be banned entirely, according to the article, but its chat function may be restricted. The government is still deciding the boundaries, prompting concerns about rules spreading into services families use to communicate.

The proposed expansion would affect services far beyond the initial group of major social media platforms. Vinted has grown rapidly to 17 million UK users, making it a particularly large marketplace in Britain. eBay also serves millions of customers, although the article gives no exact user total.

The first announcement referred to 10 of the biggest platforms. Possible additions include Vinted, eBay, Depop and Facebook Marketplace. Gaming services may also have particular features restricted, rather than being banned altogether. The article does not provide a total number of users across all potentially affected services.

The final scale remains uncertain because the government has not released a complete list. The debate therefore concerns both the number of platforms and the functions affected. A restriction on messaging could reach services used for trading, gaming and family communication, according to an industry representative.

Marketplaces are mainly designed for buying and selling, but direct messaging lets users contact one another privately about listings. That contact can create opportunities for strangers to communicate with children outside the visible sales process. The reported concern is that such contact could be used for grooming.

Vinted says direct messaging is part of how its platform works. It also says it has zero tolerance for harmful or explicit content, moderation teams and tools to identify rule-breaking activity. When inappropriate behaviour is found, the company says it can impose a permanent ban or report users to authorities.

The article presents grooming as a reason ministers are considering restrictions on Vinted, eBay and similar services. It does not say that every message is dangerous or that abuse has occurred in every marketplace. The policy question is whether messaging and other contact features create enough risk to justify age limits.

Enforcement will depend on effective age checks. The communications regulator Ofcom has set out recommendations for identifying which of the UK’s millions of social media users are over 16. The government has said it intends to take a tougher approach than Australia, where many children found ways around a similar ban.

The article does not give one final technical method. It indicates that platforms will be expected to identify age and prevent under-16s from using covered services or features. For example, Roblox chat could be restricted even though the wider gaming service would remain available. The details of proposed legislation are not yet clear.

The government is still working out how the rules will operate. The NSPCC says effective age checks are only part of the solution. It wants technology companies to build child safety into platforms, devices and AI tools. Industry representatives are asking that restrictions remain proportionate and effective.

If buying, selling or messaging is restricted, children may be unable to use some marketplaces in the same way as adults. Parents or guardians could also need to supervise accounts more closely. The effects would extend beyond shopping if messaging restrictions reach services families use to stay in touch.

Vinted’s terms allow parents or guardians to create accounts for children, provided they are used under parental supervision. eBay already requires members to be over 18 because listings involve entering into a contract. New restrictions could therefore change how young people access existing accounts and how sellers communicate with them.

The article does not predict exact financial effects for sellers or companies. Vinted and eBay say they want dialogue with ministers and the regulator. The final list and legislation are still unsettled. Industry representatives warn against scope creep, while child-safety groups say strong age checks and safer platform design are also needed.

An online marketplace lets businesses or individuals list goods, while other users browse, contact sellers and arrange purchases. The platform usually provides the digital space for listings and communication. eBay hosts many kinds of goods, while Vinted mainly focuses on unwanted clothes and fashion items.

Messaging is the key link between trading and social interaction. A buyer may contact a seller with questions, and a seller may respond about an item. Those conversations are not necessarily public. Because strangers can communicate through the service, ministers are considering whether marketplace messaging creates child-safety risks similar to those on social platforms.

The article says Vinted’s direct messaging is part of how the platform works. It also describes possible restrictions on services with features that let strangers contact children. That explains why buying-and-selling websites could be considered under the ban, even though their main purpose is commerce rather than social networking.