June 15, (THEWILL) — The United Kingdom has announced plans to impose a sweeping ban on social media access for all children under the age of 16, marking one of the most aggressive attempts globally to regulate young people’s exposure to digital platforms amid growing concerns over online safety, bullying and mental health.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer made the announcement during a press conference on Monday, declaring that the new policy would take effect in early 2027 and would extend beyond traditional social media networks to include gaming services, live-streaming platforms and artificial intelligence chatbots with romantic or sexual functions.
Starmer said the decision represented a major turning point in the government’s efforts to protect children from the increasingly harmful effects of digital technology.
“This is a big step, real change for our children and our future, because today I can announce that the government will ban access to social media for all children under the age of 16”, the Prime Minister said.
Starmer acknowledged that the move would not come without controversy and admitted the decision had not been made lightly, particularly because digital platforms have brought significant benefits to young people in terms of communication, education and creativity. However, he insisted that the risks posed by social media now outweigh those benefits.
“Government is always about choices, and it’s clear to me that a full ban is the right choice,” Starmer stated.
Drawing from his experience as a parent, the British leader said he shared the fears many families feel over children’s exposure to harmful online content and questioned whether social media environments can genuinely be considered safe spaces for young users.
According to him, social media has become a major contributor to unhappiness among children by enabling cyberbullying, harassment and exposure to dangerous material designed to capture attention through harmful algorithms.
“These days kids must find their feet in a world where technology intrudes into every area of their lives. I just can’t let that go on anymore. So we’re giving children their childhoods back,” he said.
The planned legislation will reportedly target popular platforms including TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, X, Snapchat, YouTube, Reddit and Threads.
The UK’s proposed restrictions mirror recent action taken by Australia, which recently raised the minimum age requirement for access to major social platforms. However, British authorities say the UK’s version will go further by covering gaming services and AI chatbot systems that could allow inappropriate interaction between minors and unknown adults.
Starmer acknowledged enforcement would be difficult and conceded some teenagers might attempt to bypass the restrictions, similar to underage access to alcohol, but insisted implementation challenges should not prevent the government from moving forward.
The announcement follows one of the largest public consultations in modern British political history. Government figures show approximately 116,000 responses were submitted before the consultation closed on May 26, making it the second-largest consultation exercise on record.
According to the findings, more than 83 percent of parents said the dangers associated with social media now outweigh its benefits for children, while 91 percent supported establishing a minimum age of 16 before digital platforms can legally offer services to minors.
Interestingly, about 62 percent of children who participated in the consultation agreed that restricting high-risk online features could make them safer, although 72 percent admitted fears that such restrictions could leave them socially isolated from peers.
Starmer revealed he had initially opposed the idea of a blanket ban but changed his position after engaging extensively with parents and listening to growing concerns about online harm among young people.
The policy announcement could trigger tensions with the administration of United States President Donald Trump, whose government has reportedly warned against blanket restrictions targeting children’s access to online services.
In its response to the British consultation process, the US Embassy in London reportedly argued that age verification requirements and blanket bans could impose disproportionate compliance burdens on American technology companies. The embassy advocated for more narrowly targeted restrictions, arguing that most digital content should remain accessible by default rather than through broad prohibitions.
Shadow Education Secretary, Laura Trott, criticised the Prime Minister, accusing Labour of only changing its position after political pressure mounted.
“It’s shameful that it’s taken the Prime Minister’s job to be on the line for the Government to finally U-turn and ban social media for under 16s”, Trott said.
She further accused the Labour government of previously failing to stand up to major technology companies and leaving children vulnerable to harmful content online.
Meanwhile, advocacy organisation Molly Rose Foundation warned that a blanket ban alone would not solve the deeper structural issues driving online harm.
The foundation, established in memory of 14-year-old Molly Russell, who died in 2017 after viewing harmful online content, argued that banning children could create a false sense of security for parents while allowing dangerous algorithm-driven systems to remain largely unchanged.
Chief Executive, Andy Burrows, criticised the government’s approach, saying many children would continue accessing risky platforms while companies themselves would have little incentive to improve safety protections.
“This is not what online safety experts believe will work and is necessary. Keir Starmer has chosen to abdicate responsibility for tackling harmful algorithms, and his legacy will be setting back children’s safety by years”, Burrows said.
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