Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced Monday that the United Kingdom will ban children under 16 from accessing major social media platforms, including TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, Snapchat, Facebook, and X, moving forward with the plans despite formal objections raised days earlier by the U.S. Embassy in London over free speech and trade concerns.
We are banning social media access for under 16s.
These days kids must find their feet in a world where technology intrudes into every area of their life.
I just can’t let that go on anymore. So we’re giving children their childhoods back. pic.twitter.com/jn7iQrcwk8
— Keir Starmer (@Keir_Starmer) June 15, 2026
The ban, expected to take effect in Spring 2027, mirrors the model Australia adopted in December 2025 but extends further in scope. Livestreaming by under-16s will be prohibited across all platforms, and stranger communication with children must be blocked on gaming and online services beyond social media. Both restrictions will also apply by default for 16- and 17-year-olds. Messaging services including WhatsApp and Signal are not covered.
AI chatbots designed to simulate romantic or sexual relationships will be restricted to users 18 and older. The government is also reviewing overnight curfews and breaks in infinite scrolling for under-18s, with details expected in July.
The U.S. Embassy in London stated the UK’s regulations should be narrow and not violate free speech protections, and said it was concerned the measures would impose additional burdens on American technology companies. Starmer said he planned to raise the issue directly with U.S. President Donald Trump at the Group of Seven (G7) summit in France, which convened Monday.
“I honestly think that across world leaders, there has always been a recognition that leaders have to take steps to protect children,” Starmer said. “I don’t think that’s controversial.”
More than 116,000 people responded to the government’s public consultation, with more than 90% supporting a ban. YouTube warned the move could “push kids out of such curated, supervised, beneficial experiences and towards anonymous, less-safe services.”
Ofcom, the UK’s communications regulator, will conduct a rapid study on highly effective age assurance (HEAA) measures to support enforcement.
