The prime minister has vowed to take “bold action” in his fight to keep children safe online ahead of a set of sweeping reforms. Sir Keir Starmer will announce an under-16s social media ban at a Downing Street press conference on Monday. It comes as the vast majority of parents responding to a government consultation backed a minimum age of 16 before children can access social media platforms. Sir Keir said he will “call time on a system that’s failing our kids”, adding: “How we keep kids safe online is one of the biggest debates of our time. As a dad, I know every parent wants their child to grow up safe and happy. “This is a choice about whose side we’re on: families across the country, or a status quo that isn’t working.”The UK is expected to follow Australia’s example in raising the minimum age to 16 for sites including TikTok, Instagram, Threads, Facebook, X, YouTube, Snapchat and Reddit. But the ban will go further than Australia’s by including romantic or sexual AI chatbots, and children could also be blocked from chatting to strangers on gaming platforms, according to The Sunday Times. Children want stronger protections on social media, consultation showsMany young people support some level of restriction on their social media use, according to the government’s consultation.More than 6 in ten (62 per cent) said restricting risky features - such as the ability to send explicit images, and restrictions on livestreaming would make them feel safer.Over 6 in 10 (63 per cent) back limits on explicit image sharing – reflecting deep concerns about exposure to harmful content and sexual imagery.Around 116,000 people responded to the consultation in total - one of the biggest responses to a government consultation in recent years. Among them, over 14,000 children and young people aged 10-21 shared their experiences of life online.Nicole Wootton-Cane15 June 2026 07:50Campaigners warn social media ban 'fails to tackle fundamental issues'Campaigners have warned that a blanket social media ban will “fail to tackle fundamental issues” with social media ahead of Sir Keir Starmer’s announcement this morning.The Molly Rose Foundation, set up in memory of 14-year-old Molly Russell, who took her own life in 2017 after viewing harmful content online, said a social media ban “will fail to tackle fundamental product safety risks issues and leaves parents with a false sense of safety”.Chief executive Andy Burrows said: “A majority of children will continue to use high-risk sites that will have no incentive to implement robust 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.”Mark Frankel, head of public affairs at Full Fact, told The Independent the organisation is concerned about the impact of a ban on young people’s media literacy.“We know that young people predominantly get their information from social media, and predominantly media literacy is an issue across the board when it comes to access to information,” he said.“Denying them access to information on social media platforms is a problem because it's essentially what you're doing is you're taking with one hand and giving with another.”Leanda Barrington-Leach, executive director of the 5Rights Foundation, a non-governmental organisation that campaigns for online safety, said “a ban or curfew may change who comes through the front door, but it does not change what is waiting for children inside” and that firms must be driven “to make their products safe for kids”.Nicole Wootton-Cane15 June 2026 07:3590 per cent of parents back social media ban, consultation findsMonday’s announcement on a social media ban for under-16s follows a government consultation which saw more than 116,000 responses from experts, parents, and young people.Of the parents who responded, 90 per cent supported a minimum age of 16 before anyone is able to access social media, with 85 per cent saying the risk of social media outweigh the benefits.The icons of social media apps on a mobile phone screen (Yui Mok/PA) (PA Archive)Nicole Wootton-Cane15 June 2026 07:22Government must 'deliver in full on their pledge'Lord Nash, a Tory former education minister who led the campaign for an under-16s social media ban in the House of Lords, said: “The government now has an opportunity to draw a line in the sand and end tech companies’ uncontrolled experiment with children’s safety. “They must deliver in full on their pledge to raise the age limit to 16 for harmful platforms and features, with robust age verification to ensure it is properly enforced. “Only by doing this can they begin to end the catastrophic harm being done to a generation. Let’s give our children their childhood back.”Maryam Zakir-Hussain15 June 2026 06:03Starmer will take 'bold action' to keep children safe onlineThe prime minister has said he will take “bold action” to keep children safe online. Sir Keir Starmer said: “How we keep kids safe online is one of the biggest debates of our time. As a dad, I know every parent wants their child to grow up safe and happy. “This is a choice about whose side we’re on: families across the country, or a status quo that isn’t working. “People rightly expect action, and this government will always stand up for parents and put children first. “That’s why we will call time on a system that’s failing our kids and take bold action to give every child the best possible start in life.”Maryam Zakir-Hussain15 June 2026 06:02Starmer announces under-16s crackdown in major online safety overhaulThe prime minister has vowed to take “bold action” in his fight to keep children safe online ahead of a set of sweeping reforms. Sir Keir Starmer is expected to announce an under-16s social media ban at a Downing Street press conference on Monday. It comes as the vast majority of parents responding to a government consultation backed a minimum age of 16 before children can access social media platforms. Maryam Zakir-Hussain15 June 2026 06:00