The British government is looking seriously at banning children under 16 from using the online marketplaces Vinted and eBay, the culture secretary has confirmed, in what would be a significant widening of the planned ban on young people using social media. Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy said ministers were examining the idea “in order to keep children safe”, when asked about it on the BBC’s Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg programme.
The move, first reported by The Sunday Times, could also affect resale platforms Depop and Facebook Marketplace. The concern is that private messaging functions on resale platforms could allow strangers to contact and groom children, with reports that children have been groomed in exchange for money and gifts. A report by The Children’s Society warned about the risks, and officials fear the messaging functions let strangers target young users.
A ban that keeps growing
The UK announced in June that it would ban under-16s from accessing social media, with children prevented from accessing 10 of the biggest platforms, including Instagram, TikTok and Snapchat, and YouTube also covered, although YouTube Kids will not be included. The restrictions are due to come into force in March 2027. The government is expected to publish its initial list of restricted platforms later this year, with any wider extension to marketplaces potentially announced next spring.
Vinted, where users buy and sell unwanted clothes and other fashion items, has grown rapidly to reach 17 million users in the UK. Around 19 percent of children aged 8 to 14 use eBay frequently, and 15 percent use Vinted, according to Ofcom’s Children’s Passive Online Measurement data. eBay states on its website that all of its members must be over 18, because using the site involves entering into a contract, while Vinted says its users need to be at least 18, although parents can set up supervised accounts for their children.
The debate over scope creep
eBay said it was looking forward to working constructively with the government, while Vinted has defended its safety measures, citing a zero tolerance policy for harmful content and the use of moderation teams. Vinted has not responded to some requests for comment. Critics have warned against scope creep: Matthew Sinclair of the Computer and Communications Industry Association said the ban was announced for social media in June and, five months later, is heading for online marketplaces.
Prime Minister Andy Burnham attended the Remembrance Sunday service at the Cenotaph at the weekend for the first time as the current occupant of No 10 Downing Street, alongside a record nine former prime ministers. Burnham will also write to councils across Yorkshire urging them to ensure no one who served in the British armed forces sleeps on the streets this Christmas. The government intends to use a model similar to Australia’s for the ban, incorporating age verification and measures to tackle AI chatbots, and Roblox will not be banned but its chat function will be restricted for under-16s.
