Prime Minister Keir Starmer has announced a package of measures to protect children online, including a ban on social media for users under 16 starting in 2027. The restrictions, described as Australia plus, will target platforms designed to be addictive, such as TikTok, Instagram, X, Snapchat, YouTube, and Facebook. Starmer stated the move will bring real change for children and their future, addressing concerns that social media makes children unhappy and facilitates bullying, abuse, and harm to mental health.
Beyond the primary ban, the government plans to introduce a minimum age for some chatbots and curb features judged too addictive for young users. Additional hardline measures will prevent young users from being able to talk to strangers on gaming apps. Furthermore, older teenagers up to the age of 18 will face restrictions that prevent scrolling late at night, specifically after 8:30 p.m.
Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy noted that while the ban is not a silver bullet, it will play a significant role in keeping children safe from dangerous corners of the web. This move follows similar policies in Australia, Canada, Brazil, and Indonesia, increasing pressure on big technology companies. Prime Minister Starmer emphasized that the government has agency in pushing back against the power of big tech to better protect the well-being of children when they are online.