Vinted and eBay could be added to the UK’s list of online platforms that children under 16 will be banned from using, as ministers consider extending the planned social media restrictions.
The UK government is “looking seriously” at including online marketplaces such as Vinted and eBay in its under-16s social media ban, Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy has said.
Speaking on the BBC’s Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg programme, Nandy was asked whether ministers were considering preventing children under 16 from using the two retail platforms.
“We are looking seriously at doing so in order to keep children safe,” she said.
The comments follow a report in The Sunday Times that the government’s planned social media ban could be expanded to cover popular second-hand marketplaces. According to the newspaper, ministers are concerned that messaging features on these platforms could allow strangers to groom children. Depop and Facebook Marketplace were also mentioned as possible additions.
The UK’s ban on under-16s accessing social media is due to come into force in March next year. Platforms such as Instagram, TikTok and Snapchat are expected to be affected.
Different rules for eBay and Vinted
The two marketplaces currently have different rules governing young users.
eBay says all its members must be over 18 because buying and selling items involves entering into a contract.
Vinted is also aimed at adults, but its terms and conditions allow parents or guardians to create accounts for children, provided those accounts are used under parental supervision.
The second-hand fashion platform has grown rapidly in the UK and now has around 17 million users.
A Vinted spokesperson said direct messaging was “part of how the platform works”, but stressed that the company had “zero tolerance for harmful or explicit content”.
The spokesperson added that Vinted had moderation teams and tools to identify and remove activity that breached its rules.
“When we identify inappropriate behaviour, we take action, up to a permanent ban or reporting to the relevant authorities,” they said.
An eBay spokesperson said the company was focused on providing a trusted and safe marketplace for its millions of customers.
“While the details of the proposed legislation are not yet clear, we look forward to understanding more and continuing to work constructively with the government,” the spokesperson added.
Wider restrictions on online platforms
The government announced its plan to prevent under-16s from accessing social media in June this year. The measures are expected to cover 10 of the biggest platforms.
YouTube will also be included, although YouTube Kids, the version designed for children, will be exempt.
A complete list of affected platforms has not yet been published. However, the government has said the restrictions will apply to services “whose purpose is to enable social interaction and which allow users to post material”.
The rules could also cover platforms with livestreaming or features that allow strangers to contact children, including some gaming services.
Roblox, the UK’s biggest gaming platform among children aged eight to 12, is not expected to be banned outright. However, certain features, including its chat function, will be restricted.
Matthew Sinclair, a senior director at the Computer and Communications Industry Association, which represents technology companies, warned ministers against allowing the rules to expand too far.
He argued that restricting messaging for under-16s “would not stop at social media and would reach into the services families depend on to stay in touch”.
He urged the government to ensure that any new restrictions were “proportionate and effective”.
Questions over age checks and enforcement
The UK’s planned restrictions follow a similar ban introduced in Australia last year. Although many children there have found ways to get around the rules, the UK government has said it intends to take a tougher approach.
How the ban will be enforced has become a growing focus of debate.
Last month, communications regulator Ofcom published recommendations on how platforms could identify which of their millions of UK users are over 16.
Rani Govender, head of online child safety at the NSPCC, said the key question was how the government would ensure age checks were effective.
“But effective age checks are only part of the solution,” she added.
“Tech companies must also be required to build child safety into every platform, device and AI tool, so children are protected from harmful and illegal content and only able to access age-appropriate services.”
Source: BBC News
