UK To Ban Social Media For Under-16s From 2027, Starmer Calls Platforms ‘Addictive’

Edited by: Wesley Dockery

Children under the age of 16 will be banned from using social media in the United Kingdom from early next year, the British government announced on Monday.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer said that popular social media platforms such as Snapchat, TikTok, YouTube, Instagram, Facebook and X (formerly Twitter) were “designed to be addictive,” making them “dangerous” and making youngsters “unhappy.”

The ban, which Starmer hopes will be passed into law by December and come into force early in 2027, follows similar initiatives launched in Australia, Canada, Brazil and Indonesia.

“Every parent can see it with their own eyes: social media is making children unhappy,” said Starmer, who himself has two teenage children. “I’ve heard first hand from families crying out for change and we will do right by them.”

The move, which won’t include messaging apps such as WhatsApp, has been welcomed by campaigners including Britain’s Prince Harry and his wife Meghan Markle. But it could trigger a major fight with US tech giants, who argue that blanket social media bans risk forcing children into even less regulated spaces.

“Blanket bans push kids out of such curated, supervised, beneficial experiences and towards anonymous, less-safe services,” a YouTube spokesperson said, while Meta said a ban could drive teens to online alternatives without any parental controls.

Starmer: ‘I believe we can enforce it’

Starmer acknowledged the challenges and admitted that some teenagers would try to find their way around a ban, but drew a comparison with age restrictions on alcohol and tobacco.

“Some teenagers find ways to get a drink before they should, but that doesn’t mean we abandon any attempts to stop them buying alcohol,” he said. “I do believe we can enforce it.”

Starmer is currently under domestic pressure over the cost of living, perceived issues with immigration and military spending, and is likely to face a leadership challenge from within his own Labour Party in the coming weeks.

But the social media ban could prove to be a popular move and could leave him with a more positive legacy, with 90% of British parents surveyed reportedly in favor.

“The tech companies, if they wanted to make changes, they could have done that by now, but they’ve chosen not to,” said Ellen Roome, a children’s online safety campaigner whose son took his own life when he was just 14.

“We need to come down hard on them. If they’re not going to do it, we need to be very strict.”

UK social media ban: What do teenagers think?

Young people who spoke to the AFP news agency gave a mixed response.

“I think it’s a good thing, to be honest, because I don’t even remember what age I was when I got Instagram, but it was just way too early,” said 19-year-old student Connie Skitt. “You’re making friends with people you don’t know. It’s not that safe.”

But 18-year-old tour guide Tom Warvell thought 16 was “a little bit high” and argued that younger teenagers were “a better age to focus on” because “times have changed so it is important for people to still be able to use it.”

The UK ban could anger US President Donald Trump after the US Embassy in London came out against “broad social media bans” earlier this month.

But Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese welcomed the British move, saying: “Social media giants operate across borders. By standing together, we can do more to hold them accountable and keep children safe online.”

Disclaimer: This report first appeared on Deutsche Welle, and has been republished on ABP Live as part of a special arrangement. Apart from the headline, no changes have been made in the report by ABP Live. for DW