‘Taking Control of the Future’: U.K.’s Starmer Announces Ban on Social Media for Teens Under 16

The United Kingdom will ban teenagers under 16 from using a range of social media, saying that the platforms are hurting young people’s mental health and exposing them to cyberbullying. In a post on Substack, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said that the government is implementing the ban, expected to take effect in 2027, due to the social issues impacting children as a result of the technology.“It is making it easier for bullies — whether at their own school or simply trolling them from thousands of miles away — to harass and abuse them. It is exposing them to content that is dangerous or divisive. It may even be harming their mental health,” Mr. Starmer wrote in a post on Substack“Can we really say that it is always safe for them? I don’t think so. I think every parent can see, with their own eyes, that the reverse is true: social media is making them unhappy,” the prime minister said. The newly announced ban is “an example of us taking control of the future and shaping the forces for the benefit of Britain.”Last year, Australia became the first country to implement a social media ban on youths, citing concerns about its impact on teenagers’ mental health, cyberbullying, and addiction. Several countries are exploring the idea of adopting similar restrictions. Last week, a bill to ban social media for teenagers under 16 was introduced in Canada’s parliament. France, Denmark, Greece, India, Norway, Poland, Slovenia, Spain, and Sweden are also considering similar bans. Germany and Italy passed laws that require teenagers under 16 to have their parents’ consent to use social media. British officials have not released a full list of the platforms that will be impacted by the ban, but have said that it will cover YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, Snapchat, X, and TikTok. The ban will also apply to livestreaming services to prevent strangers from contacting children. AI “romantic companion” chatbots will also be required to have a minimum age requirement of 18. Mr. Starmer also said the government is considering an overnight curfew for infinite scroll for users under 18. Mr. Starmer told reporters during a press conference that he believes the government has the authority to implement some of the restrictions without legislation. He said he expects the Parliament to pass legislation before Christmas to enact the full ban. To enforce the ban, the government will require social media platforms to use age verification systems such as facial age estimation, digital ID checks, or third-party verification services. An Ipsos poll released in January found that 72 percent of adults in the United Kingdom support a ban on social media for teenagers under 16. Mr. Starmer’s proposed ban has faced criticism from the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, Meta, which said in a statement, “As we’ve seen in Australia, bans risk isolating teens from online communities and information, and driving them to unregulated alternatives that lack built-in protections and parental controls.”However, a British television personality, Kirstie Allsop, said Meta is taking too long.“It is understandable that some people feel that an outright ban on social media for kids under 16 let’s big tech of the hook. But it does two things 1. The message is sent Social Media damages kids 2. We haven’t got time to wait for Meta et al to grow a social conscience,” she posted on X.Several states in America have implemented bans on teenagers under 16 using social media. However, judges in Virginia and Arkansas have blocked the bans in those states, finding that they infringe on the free speech rights of children, parents, and social media companies. Mr. Starmer told reporters he plans to discuss the social media ban with President Trump this week at the G-7 summit.

‘Taking Control of the Future’: U.K.’s Starmer Announces Ban on Social Media for Teens Under 16

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