Millions of Britons face Vinted and eBay ban as Government 'looks seriously' at crackdown

Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy is "seriously considering" broadening the Government's planned social media ban for under-16s to include online marketplaces such as eBay, Vinted, Depop, and Facebook Marketplace.

The expansion is said to have been driven by mounting evidence that strangers are exploiting the messaging features on these selling platforms to groom young people and request indecent photographs from them.

Ms Nandy confirmed the Government was "looking seriously" at bringing the resale sites within the scope of the restrictions "in order to keep children safe".

A Government source indicated there was an "increasing body of evidence" showing that children under 16 were being targeted and placed at risk through these platforms.

The extended ban could be enacted through secondary legislation by the close of 2027.

The Children's Society has raised alarms about the exploitation of these platforms, submitting evidence to Parliament warning that some young users are being solicited for indecent images in return for money or gifts.

The charity noted that the specific websites used by groomers varied depending on the demographic being targeted, with children from disadvantaged backgrounds particularly likely to be approached on Vinted.

Ofcom research into children's online habits suggests that roughly 19 per cent of children between the ages of eight and 14 access eBay at least once a month, while approximately 15 per cent use Vinted monthly.

Although some marketplaces maintain that their platforms prohibit users under 18, Ofcom data indicated these age restrictions were being bypassed.

The marketplace restrictions would sit alongside the broader under-16s social media ban, which is due to take effect in March 2027.

That measure will prohibit children from using platforms such as Instagram, TikTok and Snapchat, with YouTube — excluding YouTube Kids — also expected to fall within its scope.

The full roster of banned platforms has yet to be officially published.

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Beyond selling sites, the Government is also weighing up whether to impose restrictions on online gaming platforms, whose messaging functions similarly allow strangers to communicate directly with children.

The UK would not be the first nation to restrict young people's access to online platforms.

Australia has already enacted a full ban preventing under-16s from using social media, though children there have found workarounds to circumvent the restrictions.

The UK Government has signalled its intention to adopt a more rigorous approach, pledging stricter enforcement measures to avoid the difficulties Australia's pioneering legislation encountered.

The marketplace element of the ban is expected to be introduced through secondary legislation, with implementation targeted before the end of 2027 — several months after the initial social media restrictions come into force.

An eBay spokesman said: "At eBay we are focused on providing a trusted and safe marketplace experience for our 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."

GB News has approached Vinted for comment.