British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has announced plans to introduce legislation banning children under the age of 16 from accessing major social media platforms, arguing that stronger protections are needed to safeguard young people from harmful online content and excessive screen time.
Speaking at a news conference in London on Monday, Starmer said the government is determined to act despite expected resistance from technology companies.
“Every parent can see it with their own eyes. Social media is making children unhappy,” Starmer said, adding that he was not prepared to compromise on the safety and well-being of young people.
The proposed legislation would restrict access to platforms including TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Snapchat, X and YouTube for users under 16. However, services such as YouTube Kids and messaging applications like WhatsApp and Signal would be exempt.
The government plans to follow a model similar to Australia’s landmark social media legislation, which became the first national ban of its kind. Companies that fail to take reasonable steps to prevent underage users from accessing their platforms could face substantial financial penalties.
Starmer said he hopes to have the legislation in place by early 2027 and indicated that Britain’s approach could go even further than Australia’s.
Broader Online Safety Measures Planned
In addition to social media restrictions, the British government is examining new safeguards for children using gaming, livestreaming and other online platforms.
Officials are considering measures to prevent unknown adults from contacting minors online, along with potential overnight curfews and restrictions on infinite scrolling features for users under 18.
Further details are expected to be released next month.
The proposal follows a public consultation that generated more than 116,000 responses from parents, children, advocacy groups and technology companies. According to the government, more than 90 per cent of respondents supported restricting social media access for children under 16.
Growing Global Trend
Britain joins a growing list of countries seeking stricter controls on children’s online activity. Australia, Canada, Brazil and Indonesia have either introduced legislation or announced plans to limit social media access for younger users.
In Canada, the federal government recently introduced legislation that would require social media companies to prevent children under 16 from creating accounts while also imposing new regulations on artificial intelligence chatbots and online harms.
Starmer suggested the issue represents a broader cultural challenge, saying governments must take greater responsibility for protecting children in an increasingly digital world.
Support and Criticism
The announcement received support from child safety advocates and families affected by online harms.
Esther Ghey, whose daughter Brianna was killed in 2023 by two teenagers who had accessed harmful online content, said the measures could help save lives if combined with broader protections.
The National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NSPCC) welcomed the proposal but stressed the importance of robust age-verification systems and effective enforcement.
However, civil liberties groups raised concerns about privacy and the collection of personal information required to verify users’ ages. Critics also questioned how effective the ban would be given the availability of virtual private networks (VPNs) and other tools that can circumvent geographic restrictions.
Opposition politicians broadly welcomed the move while debating how it should be implemented. Meanwhile, YouTube warned that blanket restrictions could push young people away from moderated and supervised content toward less regulated corners of the internet.
The debate highlights the growing challenge facing governments worldwide as they attempt to balance child safety, digital privacy and freedom of access in an increasingly connected society.
