Britain announces sweeping social media ban for under-16s

play Live Sign upShow navigation menu.css-15ru6p1{font-size:inherit;font-weight:normal;}Navigation menuNewsShow more news sectionsAfricaAsiaUS & CanadaLatin AmericaEuropeAsia PacificMiddle EastExplainedOpinionWorld CupVideoMoreShow more sectionsFeaturesEconomySportHuman RightsClimate CrisisInvestigationsInteractivesIn PicturesScience & TechnologyPodcastsTravelplay Live Click here to searchsearchSign upNavigation menucaret-leftTrendingUS-Israel war on IranWorld Cup 2026Tracking Israel's ceasefire violationsRussia-Ukraine warDonald Trumpcaret-rightNewsBritain announces sweeping social media ban for under-16sBritish PM warns social media platforms are exposing children to content that is ‘dangerous’ and ‘designed to be addictive’. xwhatsapp-strokecopylinkgoogleAdd Al Jazeera on GoogleinfoSocial media apps are displayed on a smartphone [File: AFP]By Al Jazeera Staff, AFP and ReutersPublished On 15 Jun 202615 Jun 2026British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has announced a ban on social media sites ⁠⁠for under-16s as the United Kingdom plans to join a growing list of countries that place online restrictions on children. The sweeping changes will reflect Britain’s values, help to protect children online and push back against the power of big technology companies, Starmer said at a ⁠⁠news conference on Monday. “It is clear to me a full ban is the right choice,” he told reporters. “This will change the conversations that parents have and the expectations of children over time. It will make a huge difference. It will make our children safer. It will make our children happier. It will give them more time, more security, more freedom to grow up, more opportunity.” As well as a ban on sites ‌‌such as TikTok, Snapchat and Instagram, he said his government would take action against gaming and livestreaming services that allow children to talk to strangers. “Is there a situation in the offline world where you would just let your child pair up with a stranger, an adult that you don’t know anything about? No, so we’re taking action on that,” Starmer said. The prime minister warned that social media platforms are “exposing them to content that is dangerous” and “designed to be addictive”. Starmer said he hoped to pass the regulation by late December so the ban could come into force in the spring next year. The government said in a statement it will also consider overnight curfews and breaks in infinite scrolling for under-18s and will announce more details in July. Starmer said the upcoming ban was influenced by the experience of Australia, which in December became the first nation to ban people under 16 from social media. Canada’s culture minister last week put forward a bill that would prohibit anyone under 16 from having social media accounts and oblige AI chatbot platforms to curb the creation of harmful content. The UK announcement followed government-led consultations in which British teenagers trialled social media bans and time limits on apps. A spokesperson for YouTube responded with a warning that such a blanket ban would push children towards “less safe services”. Advertisement AboutAboutShow moreAbout UsCode of EthicsTerms and ConditionsEU/EEA Regulatory NoticePrivacy PolicyCookie PolicyCookie PreferencesAccessibility StatementSitemapWork for usConnectConnectShow moreContact UsUser Accounts HelpAdvertise with usStay ConnectedNewslettersChannel FinderTV SchedulePodcastsSubmit a TipPaid Partner ContentOur ChannelsOur ChannelsShow moreAl Jazeera ArabicAl Jazeera EnglishAl Jazeera Investigative UnitAl Jazeera MubasherAl Jazeera DocumentaryAl Jazeera BalkansAJ+Our NetworkOur NetworkShow moreAl Jazeera Centre for StudiesAl Jazeera Media InstituteLearn ArabicAl Jazeera Centre for Public Liberties & Human RightsAl Jazeera ForumAl Jazeera Hotel PartnersFollow Al Jazeera English: