UK government considers banning under-16s from Vinted and eBay

UK government considers banning under-16s from Vinted and eBay The Culture Secretary has said that Vinted and eBay could be included in the list of platforms set to be banned for under-16s. According to Lisa Nandy, authorities were closely weighing the addition of e-commerce platforms to the youth social media restrictions to safeguard children. The UK's social media ban for those under the age of 16 is set to come into effect in March next year with children banned from accessing platforms such as Instagram, TikTok and Snapchat. This came after the Sunday Times reported that the UK's social media ban was being expanded to include online resale marketplaces which are popular for selling second-hand goods. An eBay spokesperson stated that the company was committed to ensuring a dependable and secure marketplace experience for our millions of customers. A statement from the spokesperson reads: 'While the details of the proposed legislation are not yet clear, we look forward to understanding more and continuing to work constructively with the government.' YouTube will also be banned for under-16s, though a complete list of affected platforms has not yet been released but the government stated that it would encompass platforms that facilitate social interaction and user-generated posts. Furthermore, many children there have found ways to circumvent it but the UK further explained that it intends to take a tougher approach.