On 15 June 2026 the Government responded to a UK Government announcement concerning under-16 access to social media, livestreaming and online services where children may interact with strangers, including gaming-related services.
The Government said the issue could affect recruitment, public activity, safeguarding, communication, democratic participation and the service used by United Hampshire. It also said it would not encourage false-age access, VPN evasion or other attempts to bypass UK law or platform rules.
Initial Government position
The transition would continue while the implications were assessed. The Government said it would not make rushed decisions on closure, reopening, elections or long-term participation arrangements before the relevant operational detail was available.
Safeguarding and participation
The statement recognised both the contribution of younger participants and the wider concerns behind online-safety regulation, including harmful content, unsafe contact, exploitation, excessive screen time and engagement models that can pressure young people into constant participation.
United Hampshire’s own safeguarding arrangements do not replace parents, carers, platform safeguards, United Kingdom law or appropriate external authorities.
Current responsibility
The June statement is a record of the Government’s initial response at that point in the transition. Current platform-specific Roblox and Discord matters are handled through the Platform Office, while wider online-safety, technology and digital-policy responsibilities sit with the responsible departments according to function.
Platform Office · Department for Science, Innovation and Technology