Snapchat Turns Off Find Friends by Default for UK Under-18s

UK communications regulator Ofcom welcomed the change as an important step towards making the platform safer for children. It stressed, however, that the protections must be fully rolled out this month, and said it will monitor whether the company keeps its commitments.

Age checks and financial penalties

The measures go beyond Find Friends. Snapchat plans to add more effective systems for verifying users' ages before the end of 2026, so that age restrictions are properly applied and cannot easily be bypassed.

Ofcom has also warned technology companies that failing to meet child-safety standards can bring fines of up to £18 million or 10% of qualifying worldwide revenue, whichever applies to the offending company.

The step comes as Britain broadens its scrutiny of children's use of social media, including plans for a ban on these platforms for under-16s. In Europe, Snapchat is also under a formal European Union investigation into its compliance with the Digital Services Act, particularly regarding the protection of younger users from potential risks on the platform.

Together, these developments show growing government pressure on large technology firms to adopt stricter safeguards for minors, with a focus on privacy, age verification and limiting young people's exposure to risky online contact.