UK Bans Under-16s From Social Media
Staff Reporter
The United Kingdom will ban children under the age of 16 from using major social media platforms under sweeping new measures announced by Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer.
The restrictions, expected to come into effect in spring 2027 pending parliamentary approval, will apply to platforms including TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Snapchat, X and YouTube.
The British government said the move is designed to protect children from harmful online content and address growing concerns over the impact of excessive social media use on young people’s mental health, sleep, education and overall wellbeing.
Technology companies will be required to introduce stronger age-verification systems to prevent under-16s from creating or accessing accounts on the affected platforms.
The proposals also include a ban on livestreaming by minors and tighter controls on their interactions with strangers online. The government is further considering restrictions on addictive features such as endless scrolling, as well as safeguards around AI-powered chatbot services aimed at young users.
Messaging platforms including WhatsApp and Signal will be exempt from the ban.
Announcing the measures, Starmer said governments could no longer ignore the risks children face online and insisted that technology companies must take greater responsibility for protecting young users.
If approved by Parliament, the policy would place the UK among a growing number of countries adopting stricter rules governing children’s access to social media.
