Britain’s government will ban children under 16 from accessing major social media platforms, Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced Monday, as the United Kingdom joins the growing list of countries tightening online safety for children.
The restrictions, expected to take effect next year, would apply to platforms including TikTok, Instagram, Snapchat, Facebook, X, and YouTube. YouTube Kids, as well as messaging services, will not be subject to the ban.
The policy aims to protect children from harmful content, cyberbullying, and excessive screen time, while forcing technology companies to take greater responsibility.
In a video posted to X, Starmer framed the measure as a “big step” for the United Kingdom, emphasizing that the government is prepared to go toe to toe with companies against the ban.
“It’s fair to say that this decision has been resisted,” Starmer said. “It will face resistance from some of the most powerful companies in the world. But we will take them on and we will win.”
Companies that fail to comply with the exclusion of children younger than 16 from their platforms could be subject to millions of dollars in fines.
The prime minister said banning access to social media comes from a place of concern for the mental well-being and safety of children in the U.K., noting parents say their children and teenagers are “addicted” to social media.
“I am not prepared to compromise on the safety and happiness of our children, and that is why this ban must happen,” Starmer said at a news conference on Monday.
Starmer explained that Britain will learn from countries that have implemented or introduced age restrictions on social media, such as Australia, Canada, Brazil, and Indonesia.
During the news conference announcing the ban, Starmer proposed that the U.K. ban will be stricter than Australia’s, as the British government plans to introduce safeguards that prevent strangers from contacting children on gaming and livestream platforms. Starmer said additional restrictions could include overnight curfews for those under 18, adding that he will offer more details next month.
OPINION: HENRY NOWAK, ELON MUSK, AND KEIR STARMER: ACCOUNTABILITY DEMANDS PUBLIC SCRUTINY
While a child social media ban may be unpopular for tech companies, British parents have been overwhelmingly in favor of the measure. The government held a public comment period for the second time in history, where 90% of the 116,000 responses were in favor of an under-16 ban.
But the U.S. Embassy in London did not embrace the idea as much as U.K. parents. While the U.S. Embassy said earlier this month that it does not reject a social media ban, it cautioned against impeding free speech and “disproportionate compliance burdens on American companies.”