The United Kingdom is set to introduce a sweeping ban preventing children under the age of 16 from accessing social media platforms, as the government intensifies efforts to protect young people from harmful online content and digital addiction.
Newsonspot reports that British Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced on Monday that the proposed regulation will prohibit children under 16 from using major social media platforms, arguing that these services are making children unhappy and exposing them to dangerous and addictive content.
According to the government, the ban will apply to platforms including Snapchat, TikTok, YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, and X, while messaging services such as WhatsApp will be exempt.
Starmer said the government hopes to pass the legislation by the end of December, with implementation expected in the spring of next year.
Beyond social media, the Prime Minister disclosed that the government is preparing what it described as “world-leading action” targeting gaming services and live-streaming platforms that allow strangers to interact with children online.
He questioned why parents would allow their children to be paired with unknown adults in the physical world, stressing that similar risks should not be tolerated in the digital space.
“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,” Starmer said.
The government also revealed that it is considering additional measures for under-18s, including overnight curfews for social media use and mandatory breaks to limit infinite scrolling. More details on these proposals are expected in July.
The planned restrictions were influenced by Australia’s decision to become the first country to ban social media access for children under 16, a policy introduced in December. Similar moves are also emerging globally, with Canada recently proposing legislation to prevent children under 16 from opening social media accounts while requiring AI chatbot services to limit harmful content.
Indonesia has already begun enforcing a similar ban for users under 16, while several European governments are exploring comparable policies.
The UK government’s consultation on the issue, which closed in late May, attracted approximately 116,000 responses, making it one of the largest public consultations ever conducted on the subject. According to the findings, more than 83 percent of parents believed the risks of social media outweigh its benefits for children, while 91 percent supported setting the minimum age for social media access at 16.
The announcement comes shortly after the British government directed major technology companies, including Apple and Google, to introduce safety features that would prevent children from sending or receiving nude images on their devices within three months. Authorities warned that legislation would be introduced if companies fail to implement the required protections.
The Labour government said technology firms have a moral responsibility to protect children from coercion, abuse, and sextortion, adding that stricter regulations would also make it harder for child predators to target young users online.
According to analysis by the Internet Watch Foundation cited by the government, 91 percent of online child sexual abuse reports recorded in 2024 involved self-generated content created by children themselves, highlighting the growing urgency for stronger online safety measures.
