Starmer Declared “Social Media Is Making Our Children Unhappy And Unsafe” At A Downing Street Press Conference On Monday June 15; A Decision Backed By Nine In Ten Parents In A National Consultation Despite MPs Having Voted Against The Same Ban In March And Parliament Not Yet Having Passed The Required Legislation
According to BBC News, NBC News and HuffPost UK, Prime Minister Keir Starmer has unveiled a landmark ban on social media use for under-16s in the United Kingdom, covering platforms including Snapchat, TikTok, YouTube, Instagram, Facebook and X. Messaging services including WhatsApp and Signal are not included. Additional restrictions will block livestreaming and stranger communication with children under 16.
“It’s a big step for our country,” Starmer said in a recorded video message. “Social media is making our children unhappy and unsafe, and as a parent, as much as a Prime Minister, I just can’t let that go on anymore.”
Starmer said the government intends to move quickly and hopes to “pass regulation before Christmas”, meaning the ban may come into force around springtime 2027. The government called the announcement a “landmark” move. Nine in ten parents who responded to a national three-month consultation, launched March 1, 2026, said they wanted to see such a ban, according to Technology Secretary Liz Kendall.
MPs voted against a social media ban for under-16s back in March but Starmer said he is “absolutely clear” that a ban is the right idea after the consultation process with parents whose children have been impacted.
The UK joins Australia, which introduced a comparable ban in December 2025; the first country in the world to do so. Spain, Greece and Slovenia have also announced they are working on similar bans. The responsibility for enforcement will rest with social media companies, not children or parents.
To check out our previous coverage on UK policy, social media regulation, and children’s online safety, read our articles here.
