Millions Of GTA 6 Gamers Given Moral Dilemma Under UK Law Exemption

It appears that GTA VI players under the age of 16 will be exempt from the upcoming social media ban introduced by the Labour government in the UK.

Reading that sentence, something seems off a little, doesn't it? Well, that’s because Rockstar Games’ Grand Theft Auto series carries an 18 age rating in the UK, and that includes GTA V, GTA Online, and of course, the upcoming GTA VI.

That being said, as we all also know, for the most part, age ratings have never stopped us from playing video games or watching movies when we’re underage. Obviously, there is a moral grey area in that, but many of us would have played the likes of GTA: San Andreas before our 18th birthday (you know it’s true).

How Could GTA VI Be Exempt From The Social Media Ban?

While the next iteration of GTA Online won’t launch alongside GTA VI, it’s very likely that by the time it does arrive, the under-16 social media ban in the UK will be in motion, which is expected to be around spring in 2027.

As brought to our attention by money and law expert Martin Lewis, the UK’s Government Department for Culture is reportedly considering not including online gaming in the upcoming social media ban, and that could include GTA Online.

“It seems @DCMS is considering exempting online games from the U-16s social media ban,” tweeted Martin Lewis. “Yet online games are already exempt from scam ads regulations due to come in next year, and scams are rife there. The two do not work together. STOP THE SCAMMERS!”

At this time, this is speculation, but Martin Lewis always seems to be well-informed, so I have no doubts that there is at least some truth behind this.

However, at this time, we don’t know exactly how the under-16 social media ban will impact online gaming on PC, PlayStation, Xbox and Nintendo, but with the age-verification process rolling out last year, that and the social media ban may be under the same bracket.

GTA Online - Independence Day Event, Rockstar Games

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Will The Social Media Ban Stop Under-16s From Playing 18-Rated Games?

You’ve likely seen the reports coming out of Australia, a country that imposed its own under-16 social media ban in December 2025. However, The Guardian reported that under five million underage accounts were removed, it never took long for those teenagers to find a way around the law, and I’d be very surprised if something similar doesn't happen in the UK next year.

While there does need to be regulation on children accessing social media, it does raise some genuine concerns. Social media can be a great educational tool, but there are also lots of things that children should never see, and it’s the latter that needs regulating.

That being said, while last year's age-verification is “optional”, it appears that many are against it. After all, why should anyone trust third-party companies with our sensitive data, such as driver's licenses and passports, especially when data breaches and leaks are a common occurrence?

Yet, it feels like the only way for governments to push people into the age-verification process is now by proving we’re all not under 16, otherwise, we’re going to be locked out of accounts we’ve had for years.

It all seems a bit convenient. It’s also not outside the realm of possibility that this could eventually impact GTA Online, and if so, it will be a strong tactic to push gamers into sharing their personal data for “safety”; otherwise, they won’t be playing their video games. We’ll just have to wait to see how everything plays out.

Grand Theft Auto VI will be released on 19 November 2026 on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S. When the date for the next iteration of GTA Online drops, we’ll be sure to let you know.

READ MORE: Every app set to be blocked for under-16s in UK's new social media laws