British Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Monday announced plans to ban children under the age of 16 from accessing major social media platforms and impose restrictions on gaming and livestreaming services.
Starmer did not immediately specify which platforms would be covered but said the restrictions would take effect early next year.
Unveiling the proposed changes, Starmer said the government would press ahead with tougher online safety measures aimed at protecting children from harmful digital experiences.
“It is clear to me a full ban is the right choice,” he said, acknowledging that implementing the policy would be difficult. “It would not be easy,” he added, but argued that governments had a responsibility to push back against the influence of major technology companies.
Starmer said he would push ahead with the proposal even if technology companies oppose it, saying he was “not prepared to compromise on the safety and happiness of our children.”
“How we keep kids safe online is one of the biggest debates of our time,” Starmer said. “This is a choice about whose side we’re on: families across the country, or a status quo that isn’t working.”
Australia leads the way
The UK would join a growing list of countries tightening children’s access to social media. Australia, Canada, Brazil and Indonesia have introduced or proposed age-based restrictions, while France, Spain, Denmark, Thailand and South Korea are considering similar measures.
Starmer described the proposal as a “world-leading” measure and suggested it could be more restrictive than Australia’s ban on social media access for children under 16.
“We hope to pass regulation before Christmas, and therefore to bring the ban into force in the early part of next year, probably about springtime,” Starmer added.
