The United Kingdom will follow Australia’s lead and ban children under the age of 16 from using major social media platforms, in a move Prime Minister Keir Starmer says is needed to protect young people from harmful and addictive online content.
The sweeping crackdown, announced on Monday, will apply to platforms including Snapchat, TikTok, YouTube, Instagram, Facebook and X, but will not cover messaging services such as WhatsApp and Signal.
“Keeping children off social media is the best way to keep them safe online,” Mr Starmer said as he unveiled the policy, which the government hopes to pass before Christmas and implement in the European spring 2027.
Britain’s Prime Minister Keir Starmer announcing government action to protect children online. Picture: Carlos Jasso – WPA Pool/Getty Images
The UK becomes the latest nation to target social media giants over concerns about children’s mental health, online safety and exposure to harmful content.
Mr Starmer said the decision was heavily influenced by Australia’s landmark under-16 social media ban, which came into effect last year.
“Social media giants operate across borders. By standing together, we can do more to hold them accountable and keep children safe online,” Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said in a post on X following the announcement.
Mr Starmer said social media platforms were making young people “unhappy” and exposing children to content that is “dangerous” and “designed to be addictive”.
The British government is also considering a range of additional restrictions, including overnight curfews for minors and mandatory breaks to stop endless scrolling. It plans to block what it describes as “harmful functions” on gaming and livestreaming services, including features that allow strangers to contact children.
Starmer said that “the government will ban access to social media for all children under the age of 16”. Picture: Oli Scarff/ AFP
“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,” Mr Starmer said, without giving details.
The proposals have strong public backing. The UK government’s consultation attracted more than 116,000 responses, with more than 83 per cent of parents saying the risks of social media outweigh the benefits for children and 91 per cent supporting a minimum age of 16.
Children’s safety groups welcomed the move, with the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children describing the ban as “a win” for children and parents.
However, not everyone is convinced. Save The Children UK’s senior adviser Jeffrey DeMarco said his charity was concerned a ban “pushes children into less regulated spaces, where they are less likely to seek help when something goes wrong”.
Anthony Albanese marking the start of Australia’s social media reform. Photo: Gaye Gerard / NewsWire
Tech companies have also pushed back. A spokesperson for YouTube responded with a warning that such a blanket ban would push children towards “less safe services”. Meta, which owns Facebook and Instagram, has previously argued that bans risk isolating teenagers from online communities while driving them towards unregulated alternatives.
The UK government says tougher age-verification technology will be used to enforce the ban, with regulator Ofcom tasked with reviewing the most effective methods.
The move comes as governments around the world ramp up pressure on tech giants. Canada, France, Indonesia and several European nations are considering similar restrictions, while laws in several US states are already facing legal challenges.