Starmer announces UK social media ban for under-16s, laws due by Christmas

Starmer announces UK social media ban for under-16s, laws due by Christmas

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UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer has announced plans to ban under-16s from accessing major social media platforms, with the government aiming to bring legislation to Parliament before Christmas and to implement the ban by spring 2027.

In a televised statement reported by the BBC, Starmer said, “A full ban is the right choice… I am not prepared to compromise on the safety and happiness of our children.” The government says the move will apply to platforms including Snapchat, TikTok, YouTube, Instagram, Facebook and X, but will not include messaging services WhatsApp and Signal.

The policy also includes steps to block “harmful functions such as livestreaming”, and the government says it is considering potential overnight curfews. It added that there will be default restrictions on livestreaming and communication with strangers for 16 and 17-year-olds, to avoid what it called a “cliff-edge” when users turn 16.

The BBC reported that the government also intends to enforce a minimum age of 18 for “romantic companion” chatbots, described as services designed to simulate sexual relationships or roleplay, while other chatbots would be required to apply similar restrictions on “intimate functionalities”.

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Reactions were mixed. Children’s charities told the BBC that stronger protections were welcome, but stressed that robust age checks and effective enforcement would be essential. The BBC also reported criticism from the Liberal Democrats, who described the proposals as a “hodgepodge” of restrictions, while Reform UK leader Nigel Farage said the ban was “well-intentioned” but “unlikely to work”, citing the use of VPNs.

Snapchat, which would fall within the scope of the proposed ban, warned that disconnecting teenagers from online relationships could push them to “less safe platforms”, while still supporting what it described as “thoughtful and proportionate regulation”, according to the BBC’s live coverage.

The BBC noted that Australia introduced a similar under-16s social media ban in December and that enforcement has been challenging, with reports that many teenagers have been able to bypass age restriction systems.

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