British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has announced a ban on social media sites for under-16s as the United Kingdom plans to join a growing list of countries that place online restrictions on children.
Snapchat, TikTok, YouTube, Instagram, X and Facebook will all be blocked. The government is using the same framework as in Australia. It will ban under-16 access for “user-to-user platforms” that enable social interaction between users and allow them to post material – jargon for social media. This means every major platform is captured.
Messaging platforms WhatsApp and Signal will not be included in the ban, according to the government.
Australia, Canada, Brazil and Indonesia have introduced legislation or announced age-based restrictions or requirements for children's access to social media.
