British Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced on Monday that the UK will ban social media for under-16s, claiming that the planned measures will go “further than any country in the world” to protect children from online harms.
The proposed social media ban will affect “user-to-user platforms, whose purpose is to enable social interaction and which allow users to post material, alongside algorithms,” said the UK government in a statement Monday.
This means children will no longer be allowed to access platforms including Snapchat, TikTok, YouTube, Instagram, Facebook and X. Messaging services such as WhatsApp and Signal will not be affected, added the government.
“The changes will back parents grappling with the risks for children that come from the online world and help empower them by providing a clear decision on what is safe and age-appropriate for children,” said Starmer in the statement.
The government is planning to put the bill to lawmakers before Christmas, “with protections expected to come into force in Spring 2027,” according to the statement.
