Petition · Department for Science, Innovation and Technology
Exempt video-sharing platforms from any proposed social media bans
Open for signatures
11 signatures
What the petition asks
Exempt video-sharing platforms from any proposed social media bans for under-16s.
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.
Timeline
| 31 Jul 2026 | Petition opened for signatures |
Key facts
Signatures
11
Status
Open for signatures
Department
Department for Science, Innovation and Technology
Opened
31 Jul 2026
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Source: the official petition page. Last checked 1 Aug 2026.