GoKawiilThe UK is following in the footsteps of Australia and banning all children under the age of 16 from social media. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced the ban on Monday, saying that he'll introduce legislation into Parliament before Christmas, with protections expected to come into force by spring 2027.
The ban as designed supported by 9 out of 10 British parents, according to a survey of more than 116,000 people carried out by the government. It's designed to allow less time for scrolling and more time for play, according to the UK government announcement.
"Parents want to keep their kids safe and happy, but the online world has made that harder than ever," Starmer said in a statement. "I've heard firsthand from families crying out for change, and we will do right by them."
The ban will affect social media platforms such as Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, TikTok, Snap and X. It's not designed to stop under-16s from using messaging services such as WhatsApp and Signal.
Growing awareness of the harms children can be exposed to via social media, as well as the potential mental health problems it causes or exacerbates, has sparked a number of countries to mull banning social media for teens, with Australia leading the way. The country brought in age restrictions for social media at the end of 2025, serving as an experimental testbed for other nations around the world. The UK said it will borrow from Australia's learnings, using highly effective age assurance to prevent children from bypassing safeguards.
In the US, a California court in March found Instagram owner Meta and YouTube owner Google both liable in a case that accused the companies of designing their platforms to be addictive to children. That same week, a jury in New Mexico found that Meta misled users about the safety of its Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp and allowing child sexual exploitation on those platforms.
The UK's restrictions will go further than those in Australia by including a blanket ban on any services with livestreaming functions and communication with strangers, which will also place restrictions on gaming sites, said Starmer. Blocks on livestreaming and stranger communication will also be on by default for children under the age of 17, to prevent a cliff edge at 16, he added.
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer made the announcement in front of an audience of parents whose children had been negatively impacted by social media. Jaimi Joy/Bloomberg via Getty Images
"We're going further than any country in the world by banning social media for under-16s and putting wider protections in place to give kids their childhood back," said Starmer. "This is a line in the sand. Tech giants had their chance and failed, but we're stepping in to protect children, back parents and set a new normal for future generations."
Any romantic companion AI chatbots designed to simulate sexual relationships or roleplay with users will need to enforce a minimum age of 18. The goverment is also looking into overnight curfews and breaks in infinite scrolling for under-18s, with more details set to be announced in July.
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