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UK considers under-16 ban on resale apps over child-safety reports
The Guardian reported that UK ministers are considering extending an under-16 social media ban to resale platforms after child-safety groups and users described sexualized messages and image misuse.
- New headline Was: “The dark side of reselling apps: ‘If you include your pants, I’ll pay more’”
- Our desk filed its story
Based on reporting by The Guardian
UK ministers are considering a ban on under-16s using resale platforms such as Depop, eBay and Facebook Marketplace, The Guardian reported on Friday, citing child-safety concerns around private messages and photos on those sites1.
The newspaper said the Children’s Society has warned that some young users of resale sites are being asked for indecent photos in exchange for money or gifts, and that some listing photos have been turned into non-consensual AI nudes1.
Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy said on Sunday the government was looking seriously at expanding an under-16 social media ban to online marketplaces, the paper reported, adding it understood regulations were sent for cabinet signoff this week and that Nandy is expected to present them to Parliament in December1.
The Guardian attributed the marketplace-ban consideration to the Sunday Times and said Vinted, which sets a minimum age of 18, would also need strict age checks if the rule applied1. Ofcom has found that 15 percent of 8- to 14-year-olds use Vinted each month, the paper said1.
Karen Garland, head of policy at the Marie Collins Foundation, told the paper that extending a ban into other spaces may not be the best route and that services should be safer by design1.
Vinted said it has zero tolerance for harmful or explicit content and uses moderation and detection tools, with bans or reports to authorities when it identifies rule-breaking, according to the report1. eBay said it has policies encouraging users to keep conversations on the site and report suspicious behavior1. Depop said using someone’s images without permission violates its terms and that it has controls to protect users1.
