Following a consultation, the UK is banning younger folks underneath 16 from social media platforms like TikTok and Instagram, Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced. “This can be a line within the sand,” the PM mentioned in a speech at his Downing road residence. “Tech giants had their probability and failed, however we’re stepping in to guard youngsters, again dad and mom and set a brand new regular for future generations.” The federal government goals to go the laws by the top of this yr and begin imposing it within the spring of 2027.
The plan contains not solely a ban from main social media platforms, however restrictions on gaming apps as effectively. These embrace barring youngsters underneath 16 from chatting with strangers, reside streaming or utilizing romantic chatbots. “These restrictions… go additional than some other nation,” the federal government press launch states.
The UK will observe the same mannequin because the social media ban in Australia. Platforms like Snapchat, TikTok, YouTube, Instagram, Fb and X might be required to disable under-16 entry by default. Chat apps like WhatsApp or Telegram will be aware be affected. The federal government can also be restricted restrictions for teenagers underneath 18, like in a single day curfews and breaks in infinite scrolling.
Starmer acknowledged that children will discover methods across the ban, however mentioned that wasn’t a great excuse for not enacting a regulation. “We do not say, ‘Oh, look, a youngster managed to get a drink someway, so let’s not hassle banning alcohol gross sales for youngsters,” he mentioned. “Our legal guidelines are guidelines, however they’re additionally an expression of our values. They form the social contract, and so this can change the conversations that folks have and the expectations of kids over time.”
In January, the UK authorities launched the “Growing up in the online world” session into social media for youths, requesting suggestions on whether or not and methods to implement that restrict. The nation’s ministers additionally went to Australia to review the results of that nation’s social media ban, which went into impact on December 10, 2025. Solely a month after it was enacted, Meta had shut down as many as 550,000 Australian accounts to adjust to the regulation.
The outcomes of the UK session confirmed that 9 in 10 dad and mom supported a minimal age of 16 for accessing social media apps, the federal government mentioned. On the identical time, the PM added that the ban doesn’t suggest the UK is anti-tech. “I don’t settle for, and I’ll by no means settle for that you may’t be each professional tech and AI, and on the identical time say we should defend our kids,” he mentioned within the speech.
Creation of detailed guidelines and enforcement of the ban might be carried out by the UK’s tech regulator Ofcom in session with lawmakers. “To this point, Ofcom has pushed among the strongest adjustments of any on-line security regulation on the planet, from widespread age checks to grooming protections for youngsters. However the business must go a lot additional to make folks protected,” Ofcom mentioned in an official statement. The federal government has but to launch particulars on ID or different enforcement mechanisms.
