UK social media ban ‘likely to cause £1.3bn drop’ in digital advertising spend

TV streamers and family shows set to benefit as brands cease marketing to teenagers on sites such as YouTube

• Analysis: impact of social media ban in UK hinges on how firm it is

Brands are expected to cut more than £1bn of digital advertising spending due to the UK’s ban on social media for under-16s, with streaming services tipped to benefit as advertisers try to reach large audiences of teenagers.

The ban, due to come into force early next year, will leave UK advertisers scrambling to reassess marketing plans as millions of under-16s effectively disappear as a demographic that can be marketed to on platforms including Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat and YouTube.