UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer has announced plans for a social media ban for under-16s. Starmer said the government hopes to pass regulation before Christmas, with the ban coming into effect by spring 2027.
The affected platforms include TikTok, Facebook, YouTube, Twitter / X, Snapchat, and Instagram, but not messaging services like WhatsApp or Signal.
“A full ban is the right choice… I am not prepared to compromise on the safety and happiness of our children,” Starmer told the nation in a televised statement.
The government also plans to block livestreaming for under-16s, including on gaming platforms, which suggests Nintendo, Sony, and Microsoft may need to adjust their console policies in the UK. Similarly, the likes of Twitch would theoretically need to adjust policy to ensure compliance, although Starmer’s announcement is vague as it relates to video games. Is Discord included in all this? Is Roblox? And how would a ban even work? It’s unclear.
The UK social media ban follows a similar ban in Australia, which came into effect in December last year. The policy appears to be spreading globally, with Portugal and Spain potentially bringing in a ban next year. Denmark has set the age of 15 as the bar. Several U.S. states have passed similar laws but they are being challenged in the courts.
“We are banning social media access for under 16s,” Starmer said. “These days kids must find their feet in a world where technology intrudes into every area of their life. I just can’t let that go on anymore. So we’re giving children their childhoods back.”
The government is also looking into enforcing overnight curfews and breaks in infinite scrolling for under-18s. “These restrictions – which together with the ban go further than any other country – will apply to a wider range of online services, including on gaming sites,” the government said.
“Restrictions on these functionalities will also be on by default for under 16 and 17-year-olds to prevent a cliff-edge at 16. The government will also be looking in more detail at overnight curfews and breaks in infinite scrolling for under-18-year-olds and will set out more detail in July.”
Meanwhile, a minimum age of 18 will be enforced on “romantic companion” chatbots, designed to simulate sexual relationships or roleplay with users. Other chatbots will need to apply similar restrictions on “intimate functionalities.”
Jaimi Joy/Bloomberg via Getty Images.
Wesley is Director, News at IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.
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