UK to Ban Social Media Access for Children Under 16

By Margaret Abah

The United Kingdom is set to introduce a sweeping ban on social media access for children under the age of 16, with Prime Minister Keir Starmer saying the move is aimed at protecting young people from harmful and addictive online content.

Speaking on Monday, Starmer announced that the government plans to prohibit children under 16 from using major social media platforms, describing the sites as detrimental to young people's wellbeing.

According to the British government, the proposed restrictions will apply to platforms such as Snapchat, TikTok, YouTube, Instagram, Facebook and X, while messaging services like WhatsApp will remain exempt.

Starmer said the legislation is expected to be passed by December and could take effect in the spring of next year.

He added that the government intends to extend its efforts to gaming services and live-streaming platforms, particularly those that allow strangers to interact with children.

“Is there a situation in the offline world where you would just let your child pair up with a stranger? An adult that you don’t know about? No. So we’re taking action on that,” the Prime Minister said.

The government also revealed that it is considering additional measures for under-18s, including overnight curfews and limits on endless scrolling, with further details expected in July.

Starmer said the decision was partly inspired by Australia, which became the first country to ban social media use for under-16s in December.

The announcement followed a nationwide consultation in which British teenagers tested social media restrictions and app time limits. More than 116,000 submissions were received, making it the second-largest public consultation response in the country's history.

According to the government, 83 per cent of parents who participated said the risks associated with social media outweighed its benefits for children, while 91 per cent supported setting the minimum age at 16.

YouTube warned that a blanket ban could drive children to less secure online platforms.

The latest proposal comes days after the UK government ordered technology companies, including Apple and Google, to introduce safeguards preventing children from sending or receiving nude images on their devices.

Authorities said firms would be given three months to implement the measures or face legislation compelling them to activate the technology.

Starmer's Labour government maintained that technology companies have a moral responsibility to protect children from coercion, abuse and sextortion.

Officials also said tougher laws would restrict children's access to pornography and make it harder for sexual predators to exploit minors online.

Citing data from the Internet Watch Foundation, the government noted that 91 per cent of online child sexual abuse reports recorded in 2024 involved self-generated content created by children.