British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has announced that children under 16 will be banned from social media, joining a global movement to protect young people online. “Social media is making children unhappy, it’s making it easier for bullies to harass and abuse them, and it could even be harming their mental health,” Starmer stated, underscoring the urgent need for new protections.
The UK government clarified that the upcoming ban will “include platforms like Snapchat, TikTok, YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, and X,” but will not extend to messaging services such as WhatsApp and Signal. “A full ban is the right choice… I am not prepared to compromise on the safety and happiness of our children,” Prime Minister Starmer said in a televised statement. In addition to the platform ban, the government plans to block “harmful functions such as livestreaming” and is considering introducing overnight curfews for under-16s online.
The push for stricter social media age limits gained international momentum after Australia became the first country to pass a law barring children under 16 from accessing major social media platforms, aiming to address growing concerns about the physical and mental health effects of excessive online use. Indonesia and Malaysia have followed suit by implementing nationwide blocks on new account registrations for minors under 16. In Greece, a law banning social media for children under 15 was also passed and will take full effect in January 2027.
In Africa, Gabon Became the country to legally ban minors under 16 from creating or using social media accounts. Access is only permitted for educational purposes, and parents are held legally responsible for monitoring online activity.
The UK government plans to pass new regulations before Christmas, with the ban on social media access for children under 16 set to officially take effect in Spring 2027.
