The UK government has announced one of the world’s toughest online safety measures by banning children under the age of 16 from accessing major social media platforms, including TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Snapchat, YouTube, and X.
The move, unveiled by Prime Minister Keir Starmer, aims to protect young users from harmful content, online predators, and addictive digital behaviors.
The government said it does not want to block messaging services like WhatsApp and Signal.
The new policy, described as an “Australia Plus” model, follows Australia’s earlier decision to restrict social media access for children. The UK government said the ban will be supported by stricter age-verification technologies and is expected to be enforced from next year.
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer said: “Parents want to keep their kids safe and happy, but the online world has made that harder than ever. I’ve heard first hand from families crying out for change and we will do right by them.”
Technology Secretary Liz Kendall said: “Tech companies have had countless opportunities to keep children safe, yet they have failed to act. That is why we are a taking power away from the tech giants and putting it back in parents’ hands.”
The decision comes after a nationwide consultation that received more than 116,000 responses, with around 90 percent of parents supporting a minimum social media age of 16. The government believes stronger action is necessary to address growing concerns about mental health, cyberbullying, harmful content exposure, and online grooming risks among teenagers.
Beyond the social media ban, the UK will introduce additional restrictions on gaming, livestreaming, and online communication platforms. Under-16s will be prevented from interacting with strangers on certain digital services, while romantic and sexual AI chatbots will be restricted to users aged 18 and above. Features such as disappearing messages, location sharing, and certain livestreaming functions will also face tighter controls.
Research highlighting the risks faced by young users has intensified pressure on policymakers. A recent study found that nearly half of UK girls and one-third of teenagers were exposed to suicide, self-harm, eating disorder, or other harmful content on social media within a single week.
While child safety groups and parents have largely welcomed the measures, critics argue that enforcement will be challenging and could push teenagers toward unregulated platforms or encourage the use of VPNs and other workarounds. Some technology companies have also raised concerns about privacy implications associated with age-verification systems.
The UK joins a growing number of countries seeking stricter regulation of children’s online activity, reflecting increasing global concern over the impact of social media on youth mental health, safety, and wellbeing.
BABURAJAN KIZHAKEDATH
