UK PM announces ban on social media for under-16s
Britain's Prime Minister Keir Starmer attends a press conference at Downing Street in central London on June 15, 2026, to announce government action to protect children online. (Photo by CARLOS JASSO / POOL / AFP)
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer on June 15 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.
