The British government has announced a major move aimed at protecting children from the risks of the digital world. On Monday, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer revealed that children under the age of 16 will be prohibited from accessing social media platforms across the country. The government also plans to introduce strict restrictions on gaming and livestreaming services.
The announcement followed a lengthy consultation process fed into by campaigners, including parents, whose children have been impacted by the harmful effects of social media apps such as TikTok, Snapchat, Instagram and YouTube. While messaging apps such as WhatsApp will not be included in the ban, gaming services and live streaming platforms where strangers can contact children unchecked will be restricted through an age verification system yet to be finalised.
"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, exposing them to content that is dangerous. "Because that''s what grabs the attention, it''s designed to be addictive, of course it is. Features like the infinite scroll. They''re designed to lock you in for hours; if nothing else, there''s an opportunity cost to that. It stops children doing their homework, reading, playing with their friends outside, going to bed at a decent hour," he said.
Asked about the timeline for the enforcement of the ban, the UK PM told reporters that the legislative powers had been put in place for the law to come into force by Spring next year. "It won''t be easy, some technology companies want us to think that social media is unchangeable, part of an almost natural order. But we have to resist that kind of learned helplessness; we have agency, we can change it, and we will. "Yes, it''s hard, hard to legislate for, hard to regulate, hard to enforce. That''s why we sought a wide range of views on this," he said.
What did PM Starmer say in the video?
In a video message posted on X, Starmer said the decision followed consultations with thousands of parents and was driven by growing concerns about the impact of social media addiction on children, particularly on their mental health.
"These days, kids have to find their feet in a world that changes so quickly, where technology intrudes into every area of their lives. And we know that harms them. The response from parents in the consultation has been absolutely clear. Thousands of parents say their children are addicted to social media. It can leave them trapped in a cycle of endless scrolling that displaces play, sleep, and time with the family. It can harm their mental health. Parents need our support on this. That is why today the government has decided to ban social media access for children under 16."
He added that the government had not rushed the decision and had carefully reviewed available evidence while studying similar measures being adopted by other countries.
Starmer said, "Our children deserve better. They deserve a happy, safe childhood in a stronger, fairer Britain."
Britain joins other countries restricting social media access for children
Britain is not alone in introducing age-based restrictions on social media. Similar measures are gaining momentum worldwide. Countries such as Australia, Canada, Brazil, and Indonesia have already implemented or proposed restrictions for younger users. France, Spain, Denmark, Thailand, and South Korea are also considering comparable regulations.
France has been pushing to accelerate legal measures that would ban social media use for children under the age of 15. Australia, meanwhile, introduced a blanket ban on social media access for children under 16 last year. Spain and Denmark are among the countries currently weighing similar proposals.
PM Starmer described Britain's decision as a world-leading measure and suggested that it could be even stricter than Australia's law, which prohibits social media use for children under the age of 16.
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When will the new rule come into effect?
The British government intends to pass the legislation through Parliament before Christmas. If approved as planned, the landmark ban is expected to come into force early next year.