Britain will ban children under the age of 16 from using major social media platforms and introduce broader restrictions on gaming and livestreaming services, Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced on Monday, describing the move as a major effort to improve child safety online.
The measures, which could take effect as early as next spring, would apply to platforms including Snapchat, TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube and X, while exempting services such as WhatsApp, Signal, YouTube Kids, Lego Play and Google Classroom.
Starmer said the changes would "give kids their childhood back" and argued that a full ban was necessary to address growing concerns over children's wellbeing, safety and screen time.
The proposed rules would make Britain one of the most restrictive countries in the world on children's access to online platforms.
Building on Australia's model, the government said it would go further by introducing safeguards on gaming and livestreaming services, including measures to prevent strangers from contacting children.
Authorities are also considering additional restrictions for under-18s, including overnight curfews, limits on infinite scrolling and tighter controls on AI chatbots designed to simulate romantic or sexual relationships.
The government said more than 90% of respondents to a public consultation supported an under-16 social media ban.
Enforcement would focus on technology companies rather than children, with expanded age-verification requirements expected to play a central role.
The announcement drew mixed reactions from technology companies, researchers and online safety advocates.
Meta, YouTube and Snapchat warned that blanket restrictions could push teenagers toward unregulated services lacking parental controls and existing safety protections.
Some experts also questioned whether age-verification systems would be effective, citing challenges experienced in Australia and concerns that the policy may not address harmful algorithms or online content.
Others argued that enforcement would be difficult and that determined users could still find ways around the restrictions.
Starmer acknowledged those challenges but said the policy would help create long-term cultural change around children's social media use.
The proposal could also add to tensions with the United States, which has expressed concerns that such regulations could place additional burdens on American technology companies and raise questions about free speech protections.