In short

The Children's Wellbeing and Schools Act 2026 became law on 29 April 2026. It does not ban under-16s from social media yet. 

However, it gives the government the legal power to impose restrictions, with the first regulations expected by end of 2026. 

These could limit daily screen time, block contact from strangers, and restrict algorithmically-driven content for under-16s.

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What has actually changed for my daughter right now?

It's been all over the news, and it's hard to know what's actually different today.

The Act received Royal Assent on 29 April 2026. Right now, it doesn't change what your daughter can see or do on TikTok, Instagram, Snapchat, or any other platform. 

What it does is hand the government the legal power to impose restrictions quickly, without needing a full new Act of Parliament.

One thing has already changed: the school phone ban. Schools in England are now legally required to follow the government's mobile phone guidance, which was previously advisory. 

For what that means day to day, what the school phone ban means in practice covers what schools can and can't do now it's statutory.

What will actually change on my daughter's apps?

The Act amends the Online Safety Act 2023 to give the Secretary of State the power to require platforms to restrict how under-16s use their services.

The legislation sets out the types of restriction that could be imposed:

• Daily or nightly time limits on how long under-16s can use an app
• Restrictions on receiving unsolicited messages from people they don't know
• Blocking live video or voice contact from unknown users
• Preventing strangers from finding out where a user is located
• Restrictions on algorithmically-driven content feeds designed to keep users scrolling

The government has been explicit that its focus is on addictive features: infinite scroll, algorithmic recommendations, and notification nudges, as well as on functionality that exposes children to contact from strangers. 

It has said these changes will go ahead regardless of the outcome of the ongoing consultation.

Ofcom, the UK's communications regulator, must provide research and advice to support whatever regulations are made, and will be responsible for enforcing them.

When will my daughter actually feel a difference?

Not immediately, but probably before 2027.

The Act requires the government to publish a progress report within three months of Royal Assent, which means by around July 2026. 

After that, it has up to 12 months to lay the first regulations before Parliament. The government has said it intends to do this by the end of 2026.

Platforms will then need time to implement whatever changes are required. Your daughter may not notice anything different on her apps overnight, but the direction is set, and the timeline is moving quickly.

Does this law change how my daughter's data is handled?

There's a quieter provision in the Act worth knowing about.

It also allows the Secretary of State to raise the age of consent for data processing on social media from 13 to up to 16. 

This means platforms could be required to verify a user's age before allowing sign-up, rather than simply asking users to confirm they're old enough. 

Age verification requirements are expected to follow in the same set of regulations.

What should I do differently at home right now?

The honest answer is that nothing has changed on your daughter's apps today. But the regulations are likely to arrive within the year, and some parents find this moment useful as a conversation opener rather than waiting for the apps to change first.

YoungMinds notes that the most effective approach to social media isn't outright blocking or constant monitoring. It's building the kind of relationship where she'll come to you if something online is making her feel worse. 

If you're already worried her phone use has tipped into a problem, the signs of teen phone addiction covers what to actually look for.

It's also worth checking what settings you already have in place. Most smartphones let you set app time limits, restrict categories, and schedule downtime at night. 

How phones affect your daughter's sleep is one of the most well-evidenced areas to start: the link between late-night scrolling and disrupted sleep in teen girls is real and consistent.

luna gives teen girls a space to explore health topics without algorithms designed to keep them engaged. All content is reviewed by medical experts and there are no ads, which makes it a different kind of screen time for her.

FAQ

Does this law ban under-16s from social media?

Not yet. The Act creates the legal power to impose restrictions, not a ban. 

The first regulations are expected by the end of 2026, and they're more likely to target addictive features, stranger contact, and algorithmic content than to restrict access outright.

What is the "Growing up in the online world" consultation?

It's a government consultation launched on 2 March 2026 to decide how restrictions should work in practice. 

The Secretary of State must act following its conclusion, and the government has said changes will go ahead regardless of what the consultation finds.

Will TikTok and Instagram have to comply?

Yes. Regulations will be made under the Online Safety Act 2023 and enforced by Ofcom. Platforms that don't comply face Ofcom's enforcement powers, including substantial fines.

Is this connected to the school phone ban?

They're in the same Act but are separate measures. The school phone ban became statutory on 29 April 2026. The social media restrictions are a separate set of regulations coming later in 2026.

What if my daughter is already 16 or about to turn 16?

The restrictions being consulted on are focused on under-16s. If she turns 16 before regulations come into force, she's unlikely to be affected by access restrictions. 

Some platform-level changes, such as algorithmic content settings, may apply more broadly.

For the broader picture on what online safety law already requires from platforms, the Online Safety Act and your teen covers the protections already in place before this Act was passed.

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