This photo illustration shows a mobile phone screen displaying the icons for the social networking apps Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, taken in Manchester on March 22, 2018. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer on June 15, 2026 announced a forthcoming ban on social media for all children under the age of 16. Speaking at a Downing Street press conference, Starmer said that "the government will ban access to social media for all children under the age of 16".
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Monday announced a forthcoming total ban on social media for children under 16, saying that such platforms are "making children unhappy".
Starmer said that the government "will ban access to social media for all children under the age of 16", warning that these platforms are "exposing them to content that is dangerous" and "designed to be addictive".
The government said the ban will "include platforms like Snapchat, TikTok, YouTube, Instagram, Facebook and X" but not messaging services such as WhatsApp.
He added he hoped to pass the regulation by late December and for the ban to come into force in spring next year.
