What does the under-16 social media ban mean for PR?

On June 15th, then Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced a social media ban on a range of social media platforms for under 16s which is expected to come into effect in Spring 2027. The new law may also include a curfew for under 18s. 

The ban includes platforms including TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, X and YouTube (the child-safe version, YouTube Kids is excluded). The government is also looking into preventing strangers contacting children through gaming platforms, as well as creating limits on features such as infinite scrolling.

It is no secret that this is going to seriously affect marketing strategies, especially if your product is intended for the younger generation. 

The beauty industry has been identified as the most disrupted sector as a lot of skincare sales are driven by videos on TikTok, Instagram and YouTube, with a large portion of the creators and audience being teens. 

Gaming is another sector that could be affected by the ban, with a lot of teenagers relying on YouTube specifically to watch influencers promote the newest, trending video games.

Other industries such as TV & Film, Retail, Food & Drink, Fashion and Health and Fitness, to name a few, will also feel the effects of the new law.

However, it’s key to keep in mind that there was a time before social media and that the younger generation is still reachable. It may be useful to look back at methods that became redundant when social media came along. 

Experimental marketing strategies such as retail activations, which see brands taking the product to teen hotspots such as shopping centres, will bring back that face-to-face interaction we’re losing due to the internet and social media. For instance companies can create hands-on, immersive pop-up spaces that are memorable and encourage interaction to promote the product and increase sales. 

Advertisements are massive on social media; you can’t scroll for long or watch a YouTube video without an ad popping up. The ads geared towards under 16s will just have to take a more traditional approach and go back to TV channels that the younger generation actively watches.

Companies will also have to target to the parents and older siblings. Marketing to the older demographic within the household builds the brand's trust and creates family loyalty. 

Old-fashioned word of mouth has always been, and still is, the most effective and authentic way to spread the word about a brand. Compelling PR that generates organic stories is an invaluable form of marketing.

The effectiveness of the ban in the UK is already being questioned as we look at Australia which was the first country in the world to introduce the law. The ban, which came into force in December 2025, is widely considered ineffective. A study (done by the Molly Rose Foundation) shows that around 61% to 70% of teenagers simply bypass restrictions by using fake birthdates and VPN’s to create accounts. 

We don’t know for sure how this ban will affect the UK and whether young audiences will comply, go elsewhere or find workarounds. What we do know is the platforms affected and that brands should use Spring 2027 as a deadline to adapt their strategies.