UK weighs adding resale marketplaces to under-16 social media ban

The UK government is considering whether resale marketplaces such as eBay and Vinted should fall under its under-16 restrictions^2,3. Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy said on 8 November 2026 that the government was “looking seriously” at doing so². No official list has been published, and press reports that Depop and Facebook Marketplace could also be covered are unconfirmed^2,3.

UK government is considering whether resale marketplaces fall under its under-16 social media ban

On 8 November 2026, Nandy told BBC’s Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg that “We are looking seriously at doing so in order to keep children safe”². The comments followed a Sunday Times report that the ban was being expanded to include second-hand marketplaces, which the newspaper linked to fears that messaging functions allowed strangers to groom children².

GB News reported that a Government source cited an “increasing body of evidence” that under-16s were being targeted through these platforms³. The Sunday Times and GB News reports also named Depop and Facebook Marketplace as possible additions^2,3. These are press reports of a suggestion, not an official list.

As of 9 November 2026, the GOV.UK government response does not name eBay, Vinted, Depop or Facebook Marketplace in the sections reviewed for this article⁴. The under-16 social media ban is confirmed policy. What is undecided is whether marketplaces are added to its scope.

Who could be affected: under-16 users of resale platforms

ChannelX’s report says the government’s stated concern centres on messaging and livestreaming features that it says “could be used to groom children”, rather than on buying and selling goods¹. The official response says the government will restrict livestreaming and strangers communicating with children on a wider range of services, including gaming⁴.

If marketplaces were included, the group affected would be under-16 users who list, buy or message on those platforms. eBay says that, because listings involve entering into a contract, it requires all members to be 18 or older⁶. Vinted is aimed at over-18s, but its terms allow parents or guardians to create accounts for children, which must be used under parental supervision².

ChannelX columnist Chris Dawson wrote that Amazon “might escape” because the government is looking at second-hand marketplaces¹. That is a columnist’s reading, not an official statement.

Our reading: The reported concern is about under-16s, so adult accounts do not appear to be the target. No source states how an adult seller’s account would be treated if marketplaces were added, so sellers should not assume either way until regulations are published.

What is confirmed: the under-16 social media ban and current marketplace age rules

The government announced the under-16 social media ban on 15 June 2026⁴. The official response, published on GOV.UK by the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology and updated on 19 August 2026, says the government intends to lay the first regulations before Parliament by the end of 2026, to take effect in early 2027⁴.

Osborne Clarke, a law firm, describes the measures as coming into force in spring 2027 under the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Act 2026⁵. The reported dates differ, as the table shows.

eBay’s underage user policy says all members must be at least 18 and that breaches can lead to removed listings, warnings, restricted activity or account suspension⁶. That policy is separate from the proposal.

What sellers should do now

Confirm your account details and age now. Check the date of birth on your account and confirm that you meet each platform’s 18+ rule. Do not rely on a press headline to judge your status.

Review your messaging habits. Keep buyer communication within each platform’s own messaging tools, and avoid putting personal contact details in listings or chats. The reported concern is about messaging, so this is the area most likely to be reviewed.

Keep your own records. Save sales records, identity checks and any account warnings in case a platform asks for evidence later.

Watch for official notices. The government says regulations will be laid by the end of 2026⁴. Check GOV.UK and each marketplace’s official announcements, and treat anything without an official source as unconfirmed.

What is undecided: scope, age checks and teen accounts

Scope. Osborne Clarke says the ban targets “user-to-user platforms whose purpose is to enable social interaction and which allow users to post material” and will not capture messaging apps such as WhatsApp⁵. It also says the proposal includes “a narrowly defined list of exemptions, including e-commerce platforms and music streaming services”⁵. That analysis was published on 16 June 2026, before the July government response, and says the full scope “remains unclear”⁵.

Age checks. Osborne Clarke says key details remain to be confirmed, including “age assurance technologies to be used”⁵. Ofcom has set out recommendations for identifying users aged over 16², but the sources reviewed do not set out a mechanism for resale marketplaces.

Teen accounts. The official response describes default protections for 16 and 17-year-olds on social media, including overnight access restrictions⁴. The sources reviewed contain no equivalent rules for resale platforms.

Timing. GB News reports that the marketplace element would be introduced through secondary legislation, with implementation targeted before the end of 2027³. The official text does not give that date in the sections reviewed.

What is not yet known

• Whether eBay, Vinted, Depop or Facebook Marketplace will be included in the final regulations.
• Whether the e-commerce exemption will cover marketplaces that allow messaging between users.
• How age checks would work, and whether they would apply to adult users as well as under-16s.
• Whether any teen-account restrictions would be introduced for resale platforms, and when.
• The full list of covered platforms. GB News reports that the roster “has yet to be officially published”³.

This article reflects sources checked on 9 November 2026. For the official position, check the government’s consultation outcome page on GOV.UK⁴.