Exempt video-sharing platforms from any proposed social media bans

23
signatures
openDepartment for Science, Innovation and Technologyby Jayden HousdenOpened 31 July 2026

Background

Exempt video-sharing platforms from any proposed social media bans for under-16s.

Additional details

We call on the government to legally classify video repositories separately from social messaging apps. Proposed social media bans threaten to block sites like YouTube, which lack user-to-user private messaging. For millions of young people—especially neurodivergent individuals—such platforms can be an essential lifeline for education, creative expression, and cognitive regulation. The government must safeguard access by regulating these platforms under a separate framework rather than a blanket ban.

Where it’s popular

Constituencies with the most signatures on this petition.

Source: UK Government & Parliament Petitions service. Petition ID: 773332.