UK to ban social media for under-16s in sweeping new proposal
Starmer said the measure was intended to address concerns that social media contributes to child unhappiness, bullying and mental health issues
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Monday announced a total ban on social media for children under the age of 16, with the government aiming to introduce the restrictions by spring 2027.
Starmer said the measure was intended to address concerns that social media contributes to child unhappiness, bullying and mental health issues. He said the legislation would reflect societal values and will "change the conversations that parents have" and ultimately make children safer and happier, says the Guardian.
Under the proposal, users under 16 would be blocked from downloading major platforms including Snapchat, TikTok, YouTube, Instagram, Facebook and X.
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The plan also includes restrictions on the ability to chat with strangers in gaming applications and a ban on romantic chatbots for users under 18.
The Government described the proposal as an "Australia-plus" approach, extending beyond measures recently introduced in Australia. Other countries, including Brazil and China, have adopted tiered restrictions or required accounts to be linked to legal guardians.
The announcement drew criticism from major technology companies, including Meta, YouTube and Snapchat, which argued that blanket bans could push teenagers towards "less safe", unregulated and anonymous services that lack built-in parental controls.
The proposal was welcomed by some campaigners and bereaved parents. Esther Ghey said the ban could "potentially save so many children's lives". A Government consultation cited by officials found that nine in 10 parents support a minimum age of 16 for access to such platforms.
