London: Days after Canada proposed to ban social media for under 16 children now Britain has become the fifth country after Australia, Brazil and Indonesia. UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer says the move is aimed to protect children’s wellbeing.
The new ban will restrict livestreaming on platforms considered safer and prevent children from interacting with strangers on gaming apps, as per the British government officials, the BBC reported.
Ministers are also considering social media curfews for children, until the next month as nothing much has been discussed. The move comes a fortnight after the close of the government’s three-month consultation, which examined both an outright ban and a range of other steps aimed at constricting children’s exposure to harmful online features.
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Australia was the first country to fully ban social media for children under 16s in December 2025. Just like Australia barred social media on 10 platforms – TikTok, Snapchat, Instagram, YouTube, Reddit, Twitch, X, Threads, Facebook and Kick, the UK is expected to follow the same route. However, the UK is seeking to go beyond Australia by adding measures such as curfews for older teenagers and limits on AI chatbots.
Starmer said keeping children safe is the biggest need of the hour and of course every parent wants to provide their children a safe and happy environment.
He said the government faced a choice between supporting families nationwide or continuing with a system that was no longer effective. According to him, the public expected decisive steps, with the government prioritising parents and children while ending a system that had failed young people. He added that strong measures were necessary to ensure every child received the best possible start in life.
We are banning social media access for under 16s.
— Keir Starmer (@Keir_Starmer) June 15, 2026
These days kids must find their feet in a world where technology intrudes into every area of their life.
I just can’t let that go on anymore. So we’re giving children their childhoods back. pic.twitter.com/jn7iQrcwk8
The consultation also invited opinions on less extensive measures, including disabling features like autoplay and infinite scroll, enforcing curfews, tightening age verification rules and restricting the use of AI chatbots. The survey drew 116,000 responses. Among participating parents, 90% backed a social media ban for children under 16, while over 83% believed the dangers of social media outweighed its advantages.
At the same time, some campaigners warned that imposing broad restrictions could lead to additional challenges. The government’s proposals, expected to be announced on Monday, include a potential platform ban along with tighter controls on livestreaming, interactions with strangers on gaming apps and possible curfews that are still being reviewed.
Also Read: Canada Proposes Under-16 Social Media Ban Amid Global Push For Child Online Safety