UK plans social media ban for children under 16
Prime Minister Keir Starmer said the proposal would also limit children’s contact with strangers in games and restrict some AI chatbots.
By Hana Yoshida · Markets Reporter
3 min read
The UK government plans to bar children under 16 from using major social media platforms, Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced Monday. The proposal would put Britain among a growing group of countries trying to restrict minors’ online access through age checks and new duties on tech companies.
Starmer said at a press conference that social media was making children unhappy, enabling bullying and exposing them to dangerous content. He also criticized addictive design features, including infinite scrolling, saying they keep users online for long periods.
According to The Verge, the planned ban would apply to services including Snapchat, TikTok, YouTube, Instagram, Facebook and X. Messaging apps such as WhatsApp and Signal would not be covered.
Gaming, livestreaming and AI tools are also in scope
The government said the package would extend beyond social media. Children would be blocked from speaking with strangers in online games and from using livestreaming services, according to the government statement cited by The Verge.
The rules would also affect AI companionship products. The government said “romantic companion chatbots” would have to set a minimum age of 18, while broader AI services would need to restrict “intimate functionalities” for users under 18.
The UK government said the combined measures would “go further than any other country” in limiting children’s time online. Officials are also considering added controls for under-18s, including overnight curfews and interruptions to infinite scrolling, with a further announcement expected next month.
Ofcom will work on age checks
The UK communications regulator Ofcom has been asked to decide which age verification systems should be used for the policy, according to The Verge. The UK already requires broad age checks under the Online Safety Act, which took effect last summer for certain websites that must prevent under-18s from accessing pornography or content deemed dangerous.
Those checks have commonly involved users providing credit card details or government identification, or agreeing to a face scan that estimates age, The Verge reported. The new social media rules would likely add pressure on platforms to verify ages at a larger scale.
Technology Secretary Liz Kendall said tech companies had been given repeated chances to protect children and had failed to act. She said the government was taking power from large technology companies and placing it back with parents.
Legislation expected this year
The government expects to bring legislation to Parliament before the end of the year, according to The Verge. The first regulations could take effect from spring 2027.
The UK plan follows Australia’s under-16 social media ban, which took effect in December 2025. The Verge reported that several other governments, including Canada, France, Spain and Denmark, are developing or considering similar restrictions.
The proposal adds to a wider shift toward age-gated internet access. Governments are increasingly asking platforms to identify younger users before allowing them to use social media, adult content sites, online games and some AI products.
This story draws on original reporting from The Verge.