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.