UK announces social media ban for under-16s

Person typing on computer FreePik British Prime Minister Keir Starmer stated on Monday (15) that he intends to ban the use of social media by children under 16 and impose restrictions on gaming and live-streaming platforms. The measure is part of an offensive against major tech companies that goes beyond what has already been adopted in other countries. 🗒️ Have a news tip? Send it to g1 The sweeping changes will "give childhood back to children," Starmer told journalists while detailing measures against Snapchat, TikTok, Instagram, and other platforms, as well as gaming sites that allow strangers to contact minors. "To me, it is clear that a total ban is the right choice," he stated. Now on g1 "This will make a huge difference, it will make our children safer, happier, give them more time, more security, more freedom to grow up, and more opportunities." However, experts question the effectiveness of a total ban. Starmer himself acknowledged that it will be difficult to ensure full compliance with the measures. Regulators in the UK will go further than Australia — the first country to ban social media for children — by including controls on gaming platforms and evaluating measures such as nighttime usage limits and restrictions on infinite scrolling for those under 18. YouTube, Facebook, and X will be included, the government reported.

Messaging services such as WhatsApp and Signal, however, will be left out. Starmer stated that the country will also adopt "world-class blocks" on live streaming and on contact between strangers and children. "Is there any situation in the offline world where you would let your child approach a stranger, an adult about whom you know absolutely nothing?" he asked. While parents and politicians support the proposal, psychologists and researchers state that there is no evidence that the measure works. A group of school-aged children in London also told Reuters they have a conflicted relationship with technology. The ban could come into effect next northern hemisphere spring, according to Starmer, based on existing powers and new regulations scheduled for the end of the year. The UK has been hardening its approach toward tech companies, pressuring them to adapt their algorithms and, more recently, to prevent children from sharing nude images produced on cell phones.