UK may add Vinted and eBay to under‑16 social media ban, minister says
UK culture secretary Lisa Nandy says the government could extend its upcoming under‑16 social media ban to include second‑hand marketplaces Vinted and eBay o...
POLICY WIRE — London, United Kingdom — The government is weighing a move to block children younger than 16 from using popular second‑hand platforms Vinted and eBay, Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy announced.
The proposal would broaden a social‑media restriction set to launch next year, adding online marketplaces to the list of services barred for under‑16s amid growing concerns about grooming through site messaging features.
Research commissioned by Ofcom indicates that roughly 19 percent of eight‑ to‑14‑year‑olds access eBay each month, while about 15 percent visit Vinted, underscoring the platforms’ reach among young users.
Details of the full roster of banned platforms will be released later this year and are expected to include major networks such as Facebook, Instagram and X.
Reporting by Policy-Wire (PW)