The United Kingdom government has unveiled sweeping new legislation to prevent children under 16 from accessing major social media platforms.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced the policy on Tuesday, describing it as a necessary step to shield young people from harmful and polarising online content that can negatively affect their well-being.
Speaking as a father of two, Starmer said he understands the fears that many parents feel regarding the impact of social media on children and stressed that he has always wanted his children “to be happy and for them to be safe.”
“But I ask the question now: do we truly believe that social media creates a happy environment for our children? Do we truly believe that it’s a place where they can feel safe?” Starmer asked.
“I don’t think I even need to answer those questions, do I? Every parent can see it with their own eyes. Social media is making children unhappy. It’s making it easier for bullies to harass and abuse them, and it could even be harming their mental health. Exposing them to content that is dangerous because that’s what grabs their attention. It’s designed to be addictive.”
The restrictions will apply to popular platforms including TikTok, Snapchat, YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, and X. However, messaging applications such as WhatsApp and Signal will not be affected by the ban.
The new rules will also stop minors from communicating with strangers on services outside the scope of the ban, including certain gaming platforms. Live-streaming features will likewise be restricted.
According to a statement from the UK government, “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 statement further noted: “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.”
The proposed measures also include a ban on “romantic chatbots” for users below 18 years, while access to AI-powered chatbot services will face tighter controls.
Starmer expressed confidence that the legislation would be approved before Christmas, with implementation expected “in the early part of next year, probably about springtime.”
Responsibility for enforcing the restrictions will fall on social media companies, not children who manage to bypass the rules.
The UK government said findings from a public consultation showed that “9 in 10 parents” favour the proposed restrictions. However, separate polling conducted by YouGov found slightly lower but still significant backing, with 77 per cent of parents supporting the move.
The government’s decision follows a number of tragic incidents linked to online bullying and harmful content.
In 2014, 13-year-old Sophie Parkinson died by suicide. Her mother, Ruth Moss, attributed the tragedy to exposure to self-harm and suicide-related content on social media while Sophie was already battling depression and suicidal thoughts.
Another case involved Mia Janin, a 14-year-old student from London, who took her own life in 2021 after enduring persistent cyberbullying from male classmates at her school.
That same year, 12-year-old Semina Halliwell, who had autism, died after taking a fatal overdose following severe online harassment.
Louise Gibson, whose 11-year-old son Noah reportedly died after attempting an online challenge, welcomed the proposal, saying the UK ban “is right for children and it’s right for parents.”
The British legislation follows similar action taken by Australia, which recently introduced laws restricting children’s access to social media platforms.
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