The UK government is moving forward with plans to ban social media access for children under 16 and introduce overnight curfews for users aged 16 and 17. The measures, announced by Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and supported by work and pensions secretary Pat McFadden, are expected to come into effect by spring 2027. The approach is modeled on policies recently implemented in Australia, which include bans on platforms such as TikTok, Instagram, Threads, Facebook, X, YouTube, Snapchat, and Reddit.
These measures follow a recent legal settlement in the United States, where Meta, the parent company of Instagram and Facebook, agreed to pay up to $18 billion (£13.3 billion) to resolve claims by 47 US states. The lawsuit accused Meta of enabling features on Instagram that are addictive to children and teenagers and harmful to their mental health. As part of the settlement, Meta agreed to implement default protections for users under 18, including a daily time limit of two hours for app use that can only be extended by parental consent, overnight restrictions on notifications and app use from midnight to 6 a.m., and blocks during school hours. The company also agreed to eliminate certain features, such as displaying the number of likes, for younger users.
The UK government expects Meta to roll out comparable safety features for British children ahead of the social media ban’s implementation. McFadden emphasized on Sky News that the UK does not want young people to have fewer protections than those in the US, highlighting concerns about addictive features like endless scrolling. He also confirmed that the UK would introduce overnight curfews for 16- and 17-year-olds and disable features designed to keep users engaged for extended periods.
While the UK government has announced plans for a mandatory social media ban for children under 16, the current regulatory framework under the Online Safety Act has faced criticism for its limited effectiveness. Advocates and experts have called for stronger measures. The Molly Rose Foundation, established by the father of Molly Russell—a teenager who died by suicide following harmful social media exposure—urged the government to seize the opportunity presented by the Meta settlement to enhance child online safety. Similarly, Liberal Democrat spokesperson Minira Wilson questioned the UK government’s reliance on voluntary or optional controls, suggesting more decisive action is needed.
Experts, however, are somewhat skeptical about whether Meta’s agreed-upon measures fully address the root causes of social media harms to young users. Dr. Rachael Kent, a senior lecturer at King’s College London, noted that while some restrictions have been introduced, the underlying engagement-driven design model, including features like infinite scroll and algorithmic recommendations, largely remains unchanged.
Internationally, several countries have enacted or considered restrictions to protect children from social media-related harms. Indonesia and Malaysia have blocked social media access for under-16s, and France and Turkey have passed laws introducing age-based limits. A report by Tech Policy Press notes that 19 other countries are considering similar restrictions.
Legal experts, such as Felipe Romero-Moreno of the University of Hertfordshire, expect the US Meta settlement to influence global regulatory approaches, anticipating a “global regulatory spillover” that will encourage platforms to adopt proactive duties of care and prioritize user safety by default.
The UK government plans to supplement the ban with enhanced age verification measures for social media platforms, aiming to ensure compliance with new restrictions. Implementation details are expected to be outlined in the coming months as policymakers seek to balance protecting young users while addressing the challenges of enforcing digital safety online.