If you have children, this is a big change worth understanding, especially the part about staying in touch, which is the bit that matters most when your kids live across two homes.
In June 2026 the government announced that social media will be blocked for under-16s. It followed a national consultation earlier in the year, where around 9 in 10 parents backed the idea.
What is changing
From spring 2027, under-16s will no longer be able to use the main social media platforms, named by the government as Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, Snapchat, Facebook and X. The regulations are due to be laid before the end of 2026.
What is not affected, the bit for separated dads
This is the important part if you are a dad living apart from your kids: messaging services are not included. The government has specifically excluded WhatsApp and Signal. Under-16s will still be able to message known friends and family, and still use the online world for learning, news and games.
So the way most separated dads keep in touch day to day, a message, a photo, a goodnight text, is not affected by this.
For 16 and 17 year olds
Older teenagers can keep using social media, but some features will be switched off by default for them: livestreaming, and strangers being able to contact them (including in games). The government is also looking at further measures for this age group, such as overnight curfews and breaks in endless scrolling, with more detail promised in its full response in July 2026.
What it means across two homes
Children do best when the rules feel consistent wherever they are. When this comes in, it is worth a calm conversation with the other parent about how you will both handle it, rather than one home becoming “the strict one” and the other the loophole. You do not have to agree on everything, but a shared approach to screens and phones saves a lot of friction and protects the kids from being caught in the middle.
One honest caveat
This is announced policy, not law yet. The regulations have not been laid, the spring 2027 date is the government’s plan rather than a certainty, and the details, including exactly how a child’s age will be checked, will firm up in the full consultation response in July 2026 and when the regulations appear. So treat the specifics as likely, not fixed.
Source
The changes were announced by the government in June 2026. See the GOV.UK fact sheet: new rules to protect children online and the national consultation, Growing up in the online world.
Information, not legal advice. This is announced policy and the details may change, so check the official links above before you rely on anything here.