Published: June 15, 2026 at 8:48 am
The Government has this morning confirmed a social media ban for under-16s in the UK.
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer’s Labour administration said children will be given back their childhoods under plans to ban social media platforms such as TikTok, YouTube, Snapchat, Instagram, Facebook and X from offering services to under-16s, ‘with less time for scrolling and more time for play’.
The Government plans to use the same model for a social media ban as Australia. This would capture user-to-user platforms, whose purpose is to enable social interaction and which allow users to post material, alongside algorithms.
It does not intend for messaging services like WhatsApp and Signal to be included in the social media ban.
The Government also intends to issue blocks on harmful functions such as livestreaming and chatting with strangers on platforms such as gaming sites.
It says the overall restrictions go further than any other country.