UK to ban social media for under-16s, Starmer announces

Britain will ban social media platforms from offering services to children under 16, Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced Monday, framing the move as an effort to "give kids their childhood back."

The ban could cover Snapchat, TikTok, YouTube, Instagram, Facebook and X, the prime minister said. The government plans to introduce legislation in the coming months, with enforcement falling to Ofcom, the communications regulator.

Starmer said the measure would require platforms to verify user ages or face penalties. The announcement follows a broader push in Europe and Australia to tighten rules around children's access to social media. Australia passed a law last year banning under-16s from platforms including TikTok, Instagram and Snapchat, with fines of up to A$50 million for noncompliance.

Tech companies have pushed back against age-verification mandates, arguing they raise privacy concerns and are technically difficult to enforce without collecting sensitive personal data. The UK's approach will be watched closely by other governments weighing similar restrictions.

Starmer did not specify a timeline for the legislation's passage. The government said it would consult on the details of the age-verification system before drafting the bill.