The United Kingdom will ban social media companies from providing services to users under the age of 16 under a new set of online safety regulations aimed at strengthening protections for children, Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced on Monday.
The proposed measures would restrict access to major platforms including Meta Platforms, Alphabet Inc., Snap Inc., ByteDance and X Corp for users under 16, with enforcement expected to begin as early as spring 2027.
Starmer said the policy is designed to “give kids their childhood back,” arguing that social media platforms are engineered to be addictive and can negatively affect children’s wellbeing.
The UK plans to model parts of the legislation on Australia’s recently introduced child online safety laws, but officials say Britain’s approach will go further by introducing additional safeguards targeting specific platform features.
These include potential restrictions on livestreaming, direct messaging with strangers, and algorithm-driven content feeds for minors. The government is also considering default safety settings for users aged 16 and 17, along with possible limits on nighttime usage and infinite scrolling features.
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Officials say the legislation is part of a broader effort to address growing concerns about children’s mental health, online harm, and exposure to inappropriate content on digital platforms.
The announcement places the UK among a growing number of countries tightening regulation of social media access for minors, as governments respond to mounting pressure from parents, educators, and child safety advocates.
Tech companies are expected to face significant compliance requirements, including stronger age verification systems and platform design changes to enforce the restrictions.
Industry response has not yet been formally detailed, but firms including Meta Platforms, Alphabet Inc., Snap Inc., ByteDance, and X Corp are likely to be central to implementation discussions given their dominant role in youth social media usage.
The government says further details of the regulatory framework will be released in the coming months ahead of parliamentary debate and rollout planning.
