UK to ban under-16s from social media and impose 20:30 curfew for older teenagers

The announcement

The British government will confirm on Monday morning that children under 16 are to be banned from using ten major social media platforms. The list mirrors the prohibition already in force in Australia: TikTok, YouTube, Instagram, Reddit, Facebook, X, Threads, Snapchat, Twitch and Kick. WhatsApp is exempt because ministers consider it has some educational value.

The ban will be accompanied by a 20:30 curfew that locks under-18s out of social networks. Additional restrictions include a block on disappearing messages and livestreaming for under-16s on “safer” sites, while “high-risk” platforms will be entirely off-limits to that age group. Gaming apps will not be outlawed but must disable chat functions with strangers for younger users, and under-18s will be prohibited from accessing romantic or sexual AI chatbots.

Public consultation

The measures follow a three-month consultation that closed a fortnight ago. Of the 116,000 people who responded, 90 percent backed an outright ban on social media for under-16s, and more than 83 percent said the risks of social media outweigh its benefits. Starmer has cited that support in framing the decision as a choice to stand with families “instead of a status quo that isn’t working.”

Going further than Australia

Britain would join a growing list of countries following Australia’s lead, but officials say the UK package goes further. Australia’s ban targets the same ten platforms without imposing curfews, chatbot restrictions, or the other layered safeguards now being proposed. The government can already use existing regulatory powers to enforce parts of the plan, though the Guardian reports that new legislation may also be required.

Criticism and unanswered questions

Not everyone backs sweeping prohibitions. Campaigners warn of unintended consequences, and Ian Russell, the father of teenager Molly Russell who took her own life after viewing harmful content online, told the BBC he would be “dismayed” if such bans came into force. Privacy advocates have also criticised age-verification laws and outright bans for potentially violating user privacy and isolating young people, while noting the unproven benefits for mental health.

How we keep kids safe online is one of the biggest debates of our time. As a dad, I know every parent wants their child to grow up safe and happy. This is a choice about whose side we’re on: families across the country, or a status quo that isn’t working.

What comes next

The full technical and legal details will be set out when Starmer makes his speech on Monday, which also serves as the opening of a crucial week for his premiership ahead of the G7 summit. The announcement is expected to provide a timeline for implementation and clarify how the government intends to roll out the enforcement framework across the different platforms and age groups.