The UK government has announced plans to ban children under the age of 16 from accessing major social media platforms, marking one of the most significant interventions in online safety policy to date.
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said the move was necessary to protect young people from online harms, describing social media safety as “one of the biggest debates of our time”.
The ban is expected to apply to platforms including TikTok, Instagram and Snapchat, with further details due to be published in the coming weeks.
"A full ban is the right choice"
Announcing the policy, the Prime Minister said the decision had not been taken lightly. While acknowledging that social media can bring benefits for young people, he argued that the current system was failing to protect children.
Starmer pointed to concerns around excessive screen time, harmful content, online bullying and the impact social media can have on children’s wellbeing. He also claimed some platforms were “designed to be addictive”, with features that encourage users to remain online for extended periods.
Growing pressure for action
The announcement follows a government consultation that attracted more than 116,000 responses from parents, young people, charities and campaign groups. According to the government, 90% of parents who responded supported a minimum age of 16 for social media access, while 85% said the risks of social media outweigh the benefits.
The decision also follows growing pressure from campaigners, bereaved families, medical professionals and child safety organisations calling for stronger protections for children online.
Earlier this year, the Academy of Medical Royal Colleges described social media as a public health issue comparable to smoking or seatbelts, arguing that excessive exposure to technology was causing increasing harm to children and young people.
Australia paved the way
Australia introduced the world’s first social media ban for under-16s in December 2025. Under the Australian model, responsibility falls on technology companies, and platforms face substantial financial penalties if they fail to take reasonable steps to enforce the rules.
The UK government has indicated its approach could go even further, with reports suggesting ministers are also considering social media curfews for older teenagers and additional restrictions on AI-powered services.
Not everyone supports a ban
Not everyone agrees that an outright social media ban is the best solution.
Some charities, online safety experts and campaign groups argue that focusing solely on age restrictions risks overlooking the underlying causes of harm. They believe the priority should be making platforms safer by design, rather than simply preventing younger users from accessing them.
The Molly Rose Foundation, established following the death of teenager Molly Russell, has warned that a ban could be difficult to enforce and may ultimately prove ineffective if children simply find ways around age checks or move to less regulated online spaces such as gaming platforms. Instead, the charity has called for stricter safety standards for social media companies, including stronger controls on recommendation algorithms and personalised content feeds.
Other campaigners have made similar arguments, suggesting that platforms should be required to demonstrate that they are safe for young users before being allowed to operate, rather than placing the focus solely on age verification.
Critics of a ban have also raised concerns about practicality, privacy and enforcement, while some teenagers argue that social media plays an important role in communication, creativity and self-expression.
As a result, while there is growing agreement that more needs to be done to protect children online, there remains significant debate about the best way to achieve it.
What does this mean for technology companies?
The announcement represents a significant escalation in the debate around platform accountability. For years, discussions around social media harms have often focused on parental responsibility or individual behaviour.
Increasingly, however, attention has shifted towards the role platforms themselves play in shaping online experiences.
Questions are now being asked about:
- Recommendation algorithms
- Addictive platform features
- Child safety protections
- Age verification systems
- Exposure to harmful content
- Platform accountability.
Technology companies have consistently argued that they are investing heavily in safety tools, parental controls and moderation systems. However, governments around the world are increasingly demanding stronger action.
Could this influence future legal claims?
The announcement is primarily a regulatory development rather than a legal one. However, it reflects a broader shift in how governments are approaching online harms and platform responsibility.
In the United States, social media companies are already facing lawsuits linked to allegations around platform design, child safety and mental health harms. While there is currently no directly equivalent UK group claim, growing political and regulatory scrutiny may influence future discussions around accountability and consumer rights.
At Join the Claim, we’re tracking the latest developments around social media safety, online harms and platform accountability.
Visit our Social Media Safety & Online Harms hub to explore the key issues, latest developments and what they could mean for consumers in the UK.
