Britain plans to bar under-16s from major social media platforms, but experts and tech companies warn age checks, VPNs and overseas services could complicate enforcement.
Britain plans to ban children under 16 from using major social media platforms, Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced Monday, setting up one of the world’s most sweeping attempts to limit young people’s access to apps such as TikTok, Snapchat, YouTube, Instagram, Facebook and X.
The proposal would put the U.K. in the front ranks of governments moving to restrict children’s social media use amid concerns about harmful content, addictive design and excessive screen time. Starmer said the government would model the ban on Australia’s landmark law but go further with additional protections aimed at features considered especially risky for children.
Messaging services such as WhatsApp and Signal, as well as YouTube Kids, are expected to be exempt. The first set of rules could take effect as soon as spring 2027, with further details expected before then.
“Every parent can see it with their own eyes. Social media is making children unhappy,” Starmer told reporters, saying he had heard from families seeking change. He also acknowledged the policy would face resistance from technology companies and attempts by some teenagers to get around the rules.
Under the plan, enforcement would be aimed at platforms rather than children. Companies that fail to take reasonable steps to keep under-16s off their services could face multimillion-dollar fines.
The government is also looking beyond account access. Starmer said Britain would act to stop strangers from contacting children on gaming and livestreaming platforms. Officials are considering measures such as overnight curfews and limits on infinite scrolling for minors, while protections such as blocking livestreaming and contact with strangers would be switched on by default for 16- and 17-year-olds.
The announcement follows a public consultation that drew 116,000 responses from parents, children and the technology industry. The government said more than 90% of respondents supported an under-16 ban.
Supporters framed the proposal as a necessary shift after years of warnings about children’s online safety. The children’s charity NSPCC welcomed the government’s ambition but urged robust age checks and effective enforcement. Esther Ghey, whose 16-year-old daughter Brianna was killed in 2023 by two teenagers who had accessed harmful content online, said the ban could save children’s lives but should be paired with other protections.
The measure is already facing questions over whether it can work in practice. Critics argue that blanket bans can push young people toward less regulated online spaces, and that teenagers may use virtual private networks to bypass national restrictions. Diane Mullenex, a technology lawyer at Pinsent Masons, said the policy becomes harder to police as it extends beyond social media into livestreaming and chatbots, particularly when services are based overseas or can be reached through VPNs.
Technology companies also warned against a broad ban. A YouTube spokesperson said such restrictions could push children away from “curated, supervised, beneficial experiences” and toward anonymous, less safe services. Meta, which owns Facebook, Instagram and Threads, said bans risk isolating teenagers from online communities and information and should depend on effective age verification systems.
Privacy and digital rights concerns are also likely to shape the next phase. The Open Rights Group has raised questions about age verification companies and how users’ private data would be protected. The U.S. Embassy in London has warned that any rules should be narrowly tailored and should not infringe free speech protections, while also expressing concern about added burdens on American technology companies.
The U.K. move follows Australia’s decision last year to bar under-16s from holding social media accounts, and comes as other countries pursue or consider age-based restrictions. Canada, Brazil and Indonesia have introduced or announced related measures, while several other governments are studying similar approaches.
Starmer said he expected to discuss the issue with U.S. President Donald Trump and other world leaders during the G7 summit in France. The next test for the policy will be the detail: how platforms must verify ages, which services are covered and how regulators will enforce the ban without creating new risks for children’s privacy or pushing young users into less visible corners of the internet.
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