The United Kingdom government has announced plans to ban children under the age of 16 from accessing social media platforms, with Prime Minister Keir Starmer declaring that such platforms are “making children unhappy” and exposing young users to harmful and addictive content.
The proposed restriction will cover major platforms including TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Snapchat, YouTube and X, while messaging services such as WhatsApp will be exempt. Starmer said the government hopes to pass the regulation by December and implement it in spring 2027.
The move follows a national consultation that attracted about 116,000 responses, with a majority of parents supporting stricter online protections for children.
The government is also considering additional measures such as overnight curfews, limits on infinite scrolling and tighter controls on gaming and live-streaming platforms where strangers can contact minors.
The announcement comes as several countries, including Australia, Canada and Indonesia, pursue tougher digital safety laws aimed at protecting children from online abuse, harmful content and exploitation.
