Starmer Says Britain Will Ban Under-16s From Using Social Media Apps

LONDON (AP) — Britain will ban children under 16 from using various social media apps such as Snapchat, TikTok and YouTube to protect young people from harmful content and excessive screen time, Prime Minister Keir Starmer said Monday.

Starmer told a press conference he would respond if tech companies resisted the move, and acknowledged some young people would try to find ways around the ban. But he said he was “not prepared to compromise on the safety and happiness of our children.”

Starmer, who has two teenage children, said: “Every parent can see this with their own eyes. Social media makes children unhappy.” “I have heard firsthand from families crying out for change, and we will act accordingly.”

The move, which is expected to come into force at the beginning of next year, makes the UK part of a deal. growing global movement Tightening online safety for children. Australia, Canada, Brazil And Indonesia Introduced legislation or announced age-based restrictions or requirements regarding children’s access to social media. France, Spain, Denmark, Thailand and South Korea are among other countries working on or developing similar approaches.

The UK plans to follow the same model on social media bans as Australia, which last year became the first country to ban under-16s from having social media accounts. Platforms that fail to take reasonable steps to exclude children under 16 can be penalized with millions of dollars in fines.

The UK said the ban would apply to platforms such as Snapchat, TikTok, YouTube, Instagram, Facebook and X, but not YouTube Kids or messaging services such as WhatsApp and Signal. Starmer emphasized that the enforcement action would target technology companies, not children.

The Prime Minister also said Australia would go further in its measures.

He said the government would take action to prevent foreigners from communicating with children on gaming and live streaming platforms. Authorities are also considering additional measures such as a nightly curfew and a halt to endless scrolling for those under 18. More details are expected next month.

The decision follows a public comment period in which the government received 116,000 responses from parents, the tech industry and children. The number of responses was second only to a 2012 response seeking information on same-sex marriage.

The government said the vast majority of respondents (more than 90%) wanted a ban on under-16s.

Esther Ghey, whose 16-year-old daughter Brianna was killed by two teenagers who accessed harmful content online in 2023, said the ban would “potentially save the lives of many children” but that it should be accompanied by other measures.

The NSPCC, a leading children’s charity, praised the government’s commitment but called on authorities to ensure platforms have “robust age checks” and enforce the policy effectively.

Others are more skeptical.

Critics, including the Open Rights Group, have raised concerns about age verification companies and how users’ private data is protected.

Reacting on Monday, a YouTube spokesperson warned that a blanket social media restriction could “push children away from such curated, moderated, helpful experiences to anonymous, less secure services.”

Starmer acknowledged the challenges but said the ban’s success would mean “a massive reduction of kids on social media” and “a cultural shift, a sense that you can actually grow up differently”.

Starmer, who was elected less than two years ago under pressure to resign about what they see as poor leadership from members of their own party and that they may face a leadership challenge in the coming days or weeks. It seeks to introduce consequential measures that can serve as legacies.

According to a statement from the US Embassy in London, it was stated that the ban could further inflame tensions with the United States, which has warned that regulations should be narrow and not infringe on the protection of freedom of expression. It was also stated that there is concern that the regulations will impose a greater burden on American technology companies.

Starmer said he expected to discuss the issue at a meeting with US President Donald Trump and other world leaders. Heptad The summit will start in France on Monday.

“I really think there has always been an understanding among world leaders that leaders need to take steps to protect children,” he said. “I don’t think it’s controversial. There will always be debates about exactly what the limits of that are and what rules should be in place, but I don’t see that as an issue.”

Jon Crowcroft, professor of communications systems at the University of Cambridge, said people supporting social bans were well-intentioned but likely misguided and that the changes could prevent children from accessing the sites they need.

“There is a real risk that this will redirect some users to worse sites and it is technically almost impossible to audit the devices,” Crowcroft said. “It’s much easier to police platforms if regulators bother.”

Associated Press writer Jill Lawless contributed to this story.