The UK government announced plans to ban social media access for children under the age of 16, aiming to protect young users from the potential harms associated with online platforms. The announcement was made by Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer during a Downing Street press conference on June 15, marking a significant shift in the government’s approach to regulating digital spaces for minors.

The policy will prohibit children under 16 from using social media platforms that facilitate online interaction, content posting, and employ recommendation algorithms or “persuasive design” features like infinite scrolling. Officials indicated the ban would align broadly with the model introduced in Australia, where platforms such as Facebook, TikTok, Instagram, Snapchat, Reddit, Twitch, X, YouTube, and others are already restricted for underage users. Additional UK-specific measures include banning stranger communication features and preventing children from livestreaming themselves while gaming. AI chatbots designed as “companion” or “girlfriend” bots, such as Replika, will be banned for users under 18.

Certain platforms will be exempt, including Discord, Roblox, Pinterest, YouTube Kids, WhatsApp, and those used primarily for educational purposes, e-commerce, cultural institutions, or music streaming. The government also plans to introduce further regulations targeting features that encourage excessive use, such as infinite scroll, and may implement night-time curfews to limit usage among minors. These additional measures are expected to be detailed next month, with regulations slated for parliamentary consideration later this year and the ban taking effect early in 2027.

Enforcement will rely heavily on age verification systems, which must be “highly effective” under the Online Safety Act. Approaches may involve checks using banking records, mobile phone data, facial age estimation technology, and official documents. The government has tasked the regulator Ofcom with developing stringent age-checking requirements by October, aiming for a regime stricter than Australia’s. Proposed methods include integration of age verification at the device level through app stores, potentially streamlining compliance. Platforms failing to enforce these rules could face fines of up to 10 percent of their global turnover, with possible criminal charges against executives or, as a last resort, service blocking.

Despite acknowledging that some children will attempt to bypass restrictions using virtual private networks (VPNs) and other methods, the government intends to pursue cultural and regulatory strategies to draw clear boundaries around youth online safety. Officials are also exploring options to restrict VPN usage connected to the ban.

The policy has elicited mixed reactions. Ian Russell, whose daughter died by suicide after negative social media experiences, cautions against broad bans, arguing they may drive children to less regulated, riskier platforms and do not address harmful features directly. His charity, the Molly Rose Foundation, supports targeting toxic platform elements instead. This view is echoed by the NSPCC, which advocates focusing on addictive features that foster prolonged, compulsive use.

Sir Keir Starmer himself reportedly expressed personal reservations about a complete ban, favoring content control measures over outright prohibitions in a December 2025 interview. Nonetheless, the government has responded to widespread political and public pressure, including calls from opposition parties and campaign groups, to enforce stronger restrictions on social media use by minors. Ofcom is expected to provide further guidance on implementation and enforcement in the coming months, with an official assessment of the ban’s impact scheduled one year after its introduction.