Will WhatsApp be banned for under-16s?
A government social media ban might allow popular messaging app to remain on the phones of children, if the example of Australia is followed
The government is considering a ban on social media for under-16s in the UK, which has raised questions as to whether WhatsApp will be impacted.
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Sir Keir Starmer is poised to announce a ban on social media for under-16s within the next ten days, having kicked off London Tech Week by calling for platforms to block nude pictures.
The government is still yet to finalise its plans after the end of a consultation into whether it should follow Australia's lead in making social media platforms inacessible you youngsters.
A DSIT spokesperson told LBC: “As is standard practice, we do not engage in speculation around hypothetical announcements.
“We've been clear that we are determined to act quickly, but we will do so in a way that is effective, enforceable and genuinely keeps children safe.
"As we've previously said, we will set out the Government's response by the summer, and importantly we already have the powers to act within months rather than years.”
Here is what we know about where WhatsApp stands in relation.
Will WhatsApp be banned in the UK for under-16s?
The UK has not spelled out which websites will be banned to under-16s, if any, but WhatsApp will still be available if, as expected, Britain follows the model of Australia.
A consultation had preceded on whether the UK should follow the lead taken Down Under in December.
Canberra's Labor-led government did not add WhatsApp to the list of banned sites when it introduced its laws, and Australia has been cited in the UK as an example.
Meta, the company behind Facebook and Instagram, also owns WhatsApp. But while those sites would likely be out of bounds for children, it is less clear-cut as to whether WhatsApp will be as well.
It comes with a grey area of what is considered to be a social media site.
WhatsApp is primarily used for sending texts, pictures, videos, and voice notes, but can be used for status updates and sharing content with followers.
Sites banned in Australia for under-16s are:
- Facebook,
- Instagram,
- Kick,
- Reddit,
- Snapchat,
- Threads,
- TikTok,
- Twitch,
- YouTube
However, those still allowed include:
- YouTube Kids,
- Google Classroom,
- Facebook Messenger,
- Pinterest,
- Discord,
- Steam