Starmer says Britain will ban under-16s from using a range of social media apps
Posted/updated on: June 15, 2026 at 3:19 am
Starmer told a news conference that he will fight back if technology companies resist the move, intended to protect children from harmful content and excessive screen time. He said he is “not prepared to compromise on the safety and happiness of our children.”
The move makes the U.K. part of growing global movement to tighten online safety for children. Australia, Canada, Brazil and Indonesia have introduced legislation or announced age-based restrictions or requirements for children’s access to social media. France, Spain, Denmark, Thailand and South Korea are among others studying or developing similar approaches.
Starmer said the U.K. measures “possibly go a bit further” than Australia’s under-16s ban.
Starmer did not immediately say what apps would be covered. The Sunday Times reported it will apply to TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, X, YouTube, Snapchat, Threads, Twitch, Kick and Reddit, the Times reported.
Starmer said the government will also act to prevent strangers from contacting children on gaming and livestreaming platforms. He said the ban will take effect early next year.
Starmer, who is under pressure to step down from members of his own party over what they see as poor leadership, said the government is “confident that this ban can be effective,” despite skepticism from some children’s advocates.
He said success would mean “a massive drop off of children on social media” and “a cultural change, a sense that actually you can grow up differently.”
The decision follows a public comment period in which the government got 116,000 responses from parents, the tech industry and children. The number of responses was second only to one seeking input about same-sex marriage in 2012.
The vast majority of respondents wanted an under-16 ban, including youths, said Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy, who added that a ban should be part of other measures.
“I don’t think banning social media on its own is the silver bullet solution, but I do think Australia has shown very clearly that it has a significant role to play,” Nandy told BBC on Sunday.
The ban could further inflame tensions with the U.S., which has warned that regulations should be narrow and not violate free speech protections, according to a statement from the U.S. Embassy in London. It said it was also concerned that regulations would place greater burdens on American technology companies.
Jon Crowcroft, a communications systems professor at University of Cambridge, said people supporting social bans are well-meaning but probably misguided, and changes could prevent children from accessing sites they need.
“There is a real risk this will drive some users to worse sites and policing devices is close to impossible technically,” Crowcroft said. “Policing platforms is far easier, if only regulators would bother.”
