Britain Plans to Ban Social Media Use for Under 16

The UK government is preparing to introduce sweeping restrictions that would ban children under the age of 16 from accessing certain social media platforms, in a major policy move aimed at strengthening online safety protections for minors.

Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy said the proposed measures, expected to be announced this week by Prime Minister Keir Starmer, are designed to better safeguard children in the digital environment, though she stressed that the plan should not be viewed as a “silver bullet.”

Speaking to Sky News on Sunday, Nandy said the anticipated restrictions would still play an important role in reducing risks faced by young users online, particularly amid growing concerns over harmful content and digital addiction.

She noted that the government’s consultations showed “overwhelming support” for stronger protections, including from many young people themselves, and argued that the debate had shifted from whether children should be protected to how best to achieve that goal.

According to reporting by the Sunday Times, the reforms under consideration could go beyond simple age restrictions, potentially including limits on daily usage time and tighter regulation of emotionally responsive artificial intelligence chatbots used on social platforms.

The report also suggested that the UK approach may surpass measures introduced in countries such as Australia, which last year mandated restrictions preventing users under 16 from accessing platforms including TikTok, Snapchat, YouTube, Reddit, and Instagram, under threat of financial penalties for non-compliance.

Officials in London are reportedly examining the use of age verification technologies already deployed in other areas of online regulation, including systems used to restrict access to adult content. These tools typically rely on bank data, credit card verification, or mobile network checks to confirm a user’s age.

Technology Secretary Liz Kendall said the government is exploring whether such mechanisms could be extended to prevent minors from accessing social media platforms altogether, strengthening enforcement of the proposed age threshold.

Nandy acknowledged that enforcement remains a key challenge, adding that technology companies have already had sufficient time to implement effective safeguards. She suggested that firms failing to protect children adequately should face stricter consequences, including limitations on their ability to market services to younger users.

The proposed policy comes amid growing international momentum toward tighter regulation of social media use among children and teenagers, as policymakers respond to concerns over mental health impacts, cyberbullying, and exposure to harmful online content.

Countries including France, Greece, Indonesia, and Malaysia are among those exploring or implementing similar measures, reflecting a broader global shift toward stricter digital age controls.

However, details of the UK plan, including its enforcement timeline and technical implementation, have not yet been finalized, according to the Sunday Times.