U.K. Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer announced a proposed social media ban for children 16 and under in Britain on Monday.
The proposed ban, if passed by Parliament, would prohibit kids age 16 and under from using “platforms like Snapchat, TikTok, YouTube, Instagram, Facebook and X,” the U.K. government said in a statement, but it is not expected to impact messaging apps like Signal and WhatsApp.
“We’re going further than any country in the world by banning social media for under-16s and putting wider protections in place to give kids their childhood back,” Starmer said in a press conference Monday, saying the social media ban will “give [kids] more time, more security, more freedom to grow up, more opportunity.”
“This is a line in the sand. Tech giants had their chance and failed, but we’re stepping in to protect children, back parents and set a new normal for future generations,” he added.
Social media platforms generally require users to be at least 13 years old to use their platforms and services, but those requirements may vary according to local laws.
Starmer said he hopes the legislation for the proposed social media ban will pass through parliament before Christmas, with hopes of implementing it in early 2027.
Britain is following a similar strategy as Australia, whose social media ban for kids went into effect in December 2025, but is adding more security measures, according to the government.
“The government will also go further than a blanket ban on social media with world-leading blocks on harmful functions such as livestreaming and stranger communication with children for under-16s,” the government said in a statement.
Other countries have also proposed social media bans or announced similar age restrictions, including Canada, Brazil and Indonesia.