Britain to ban social media access for under-16s

LONDON: Britain will bar children under 16 from using social media platforms, Prime Minister Keir Starmer said on Monday, describing the sites as harmful to young users and saying they were leaving children unhappy.

Starmer said the platforms were exposing children to material that is dangerous and built to keep them hooked. The government said the planned ban would cover Snapchat, TikTok, YouTube, Instagram, Facebook and X, but would not apply to messaging services such as WhatsApp.

Speaking at a press conference in Downing Street, Starmer said the policy had been shaped in part by Australia’s experience after it became the first country last year to prohibit under-16s from social media. He said he wanted the measure passed by late December, with implementation expected in the spring next year.

The British prime minister also indicated that some child-focused or educational services, including YouTube Kids, Lego Play and Google Classroom, were not expected to be covered by the prohibition.

More child safety measures under consideration

In a statement, the government said it was also examining further protections for minors online, including overnight curfews and limits that would interrupt endless scrolling. Additional details would be announced next month.

The move drew a mixed response. Some children’s charities welcomed what they saw as a far-reaching step to protect young users online. Others cautioned that banning teenagers from social media could in some cases reduce their safety on the internet.

International push for tighter rules

The British government’s plan is likely to set up a major confrontation with large US technology companies. The proposal also comes as other countries weigh similar action.

Australia Prime Minister Anthony Albanese welcomed the British announcement in a post on X and said: "Social media giants operate across borders. By standing together, we can do more to hold them accountable and keep children safe online."

Canada and France are among the countries considering comparable restrictions, while Indonesia started enforcing its own ban for users under 16 in March.