The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom (UK), Keir Starmer has officially announced a nationwide ban on social media for under-16s.
Calling it a “big moment for our country,” Starmer declared that the government is drawing a line in the sand to protect children’s mental health and safety.
The sweeping new legislation aims to shift power away from big tech companies and hand it back to parents. Regulations are expected to be passed before Christmas, with the ban fully implemented by spring 2027.
Pan-Atlantic Kompass reports that the decision of the UK to ban social media for under-16s comes after a massive public consultation that pulled in roughly 116,000 responses.
According to government findings, an overwhelming 91% of parents backed the minimum age requirement of 16, while more than 83% agreed that the online risks to children vastly outweigh the benefits.
Speaking as a father, Starmer addressed the heavy toll that algorithmic design and online platforms take on youth development.
”Social media is making children unhappy, it’s making it easier for bullies to harass and abuse them, and it could even be harming their mental health. Government is always about choices, and it’s clear to me that a total ban is the right choice.”
The ban targets algorithm-driven, user-to-user platforms. Popular platforms expected to face blocks for under-16s include:
- TikTok
- Instagram & Threads
- Snapchat
- YouTube
- Facebook & X (formerly Twitter)
Starmer added that social media is making children unhappy, making it easier for bullies to abuse children, and is “designed to be addictive”. A ban would give children more time, security, and more freedom to grow up – as well as more opportunities, he adds.
“That is all any parent wants. They want to know that Britain will be better for their children, that they will get a fair chance,” the PM says in a speech in Downing Street.
Starmer also stated that the government is “not prepared to compromise” on the safety and happiness of children – and that includes in the regulation and enforcement of this ban. He said the government has listened to and learned from countries like Australia, where a similar ban has already been introduced.
The government is also going further with “world-leading action” on gaming services and live streaming platforms, he says.
The government stated it will go “further than a blanket ban on social media” by blocking “harmful functions such as livestreaming and stranger communication with children for under-16s”.
“These restrictions – which together with the ban go further than any other country – will apply to a wider range of online services, including on gaming sites,” it says.
“Restrictions on these functionalities will also be on by default for under-16 and 17-year-olds to prevent a cliff-edge at 16. The government will also be looking in more detail at overnight curfews and breaks in infinite scrolling for under-18-year-olds and will set out more details in July.”
As Starmer announced the ban on under-16s from social media, the UK government released some additional information about the ban on its website.
It said the UK “plans to use the same model for a social media ban as Australia”.
Continuing, the statement says: “This would capture user-to-user platforms, whose purpose is to enable social interaction and which allow users to post material, alongside algorithms. The ban will therefore include platforms like Snapchat, TikTok, YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, and X.
“We do not intend for messaging services like WhatsApp and Signal to be included in the social media ban.”
Today’s ban is a “bold” step towards “creating a safer, healthier life online” for children and future generations, technology secretary Liz Kendall said.
“Tech companies have had countless opportunities to keep children safe, yet they have failed to act. That is why we are taking power away from the tech giants and putting it back in parents’ hands,” she said in a written press release that came alongside the announcement.
“My driving force has always been to give every child, from every background, the best possible start in life,” she said. “That is what these regulations will deliver.”
