The Guardian reported that the prime minister described the approach as an "Australia plus" model and that ministers expect legislation by the end of 2026, with enforcement beginning in spring 2027. The government page for the consultation did not yet publish the final consultation response during drafting; it said officials were analysing feedback and would publish a response in summer 2026.
The policy mechanism remains the key unresolved point. The Guardian reported that the government had not yet named the exact platforms covered by the under-16 restriction and that ministers expected to define affected services later. That means the proposal should not yet be described as a fully specified blanket ban unless the government publishes text that uses that scope.
The official consultation, "Growing up in the online world", ran from March 2 to May 26. It asked about potential age restrictions on social media and other services such as gaming sites and AI chatbots, restrictions on addictive design features and risky functions, age verification and age assurance, mobile-phone guidance in schools, and parental controls.
The House of Commons Library briefing said the consultation received 116,211 responses and that Part 3 of the Children's Wellbeing and Schools Act 2026 will require the government to impose some form of age or functionality restrictions for children under 16. The briefing said this followed government defeats in the House of Lords that would have meant a ban on social media use by under-16s.
Australia is the comparator because its rules are already in force. Australia's eSafety Commissioner says age-restricted social media platforms must take reasonable steps to prevent Australians under 16 from creating or keeping an account. The regulator says there are no penalties for under-16s or their parents, while platforms may face civil penalties if they do not take reasonable steps.