Search

    Select Website Language

    The U.K. will ban children under 16 from using major social media platforms, Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced on June 15, 2026.

    The restrictions are expected to take effect in spring 2027, with enforcement targeting tech companies through potential multimillion-dollar fines rather than penalizing children.

    Related Post: Google Faces Pressure to Ban So-Called “AI Slop” Videos for Kids on YouTube

    U.K’s Legislation to Keep Children Off Social Media

    The United Kingdom is the latest country to plan a ban on social media apps for children under 16. Starmer said on Monday that the U.K. will go further than other nations by blocking children from “harmful functions” such as livestreaming and messaging strangers.. The restrictions will also extend to gaming sites. Starmer said the ban is designed to protect children from content “designed to be addictive.”

    The proposed law will bar children from platforms including Snapchat, TikTok, YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, and X. The government said messaging services like WhatsApp will remain accessible. The law will also ban people under 18 from using artificial intelligence “romantic companions.” The details of that restriction and how the government will enforce it remain unclear.

    The legislation will force tech companies to keep children off their platforms. Companies that fail will face huge fines. Starmer said he hopes lawmakers will pass the regulations by late December so the ban can take effect by spring 2027. Australia banned under-16s from social media in December 2025. It was the first country to impose the measure. 

    But Australia’s internet regulator polled parents in March. About 70% said their children stayed on the platforms after finding ways to bypass age gates. Starmer said he is not deterred by those challenges. “We don’t say: ‘Oh, look, a teenager managed to get a drink somehow, so let’s not bother banning drinks from children.’ That would be utterly ridiculous!” 

    Big tech companies will likely fight the effort. The U.S. Embassy in London published a notice 10 days ago on the proposed restrictions. It voiced concern that age gating will not work. It called for protecting children in other ways while preserving freedom of speech. The embassy called parents “the first and best line of defense” for children.

    Related Post: UK’s Uniphy Secures Additional $3.9M to Replace Touchscreens With Safer Interfaces

    Starmer and his government note that polling shows British parents overwhelmingly support a ban for under-16s. In March, a Los Angeles jury ruled that Meta and YouTube are liable for creating products that led to harmful and addictive behavior by young users. The landmark decision in the U.S. could set a legal precedent for similar allegations against social media companies. 

    Social Bans Across Countries Globally

    More than a dozen other countries were already weighing legislation to restrict children’s access to social media platforms before the U.K. announced its plans. The countries include France, Denmark, and Malaysia. Several countries ban specific platforms, usually Facebook, because of political unrest, security laws, or censorship. 

    China, Iran, North Korea, Myanmar, Russia, Turkmenistan, and Uganda block access to Facebook year-round. Other nations impose temporary bans. Bangladesh blocked Facebook in 2015. India did the same in 2017. Sri Lanka shut it down from 2018 to 2019. Nepal joined them with a ban in 2025.

    More countries are now blocking social media for children under a set age, usually 15 or 16. Australia led the move. It enforced a nationwide ban for users under 16 in December 2025. Indonesia followed in March 2026, banning under-16s from high-risk platforms. Malaysia enforced an under-16 ban in June 2026. The United Kingdom announced its own under-16 ban in June 2026.

    Related Post: 9fin Raises $170M Series C, Becomes One of Europe’s Few Black-Led Unicorns

    Other European countries are moving fast. France passed legislation to ban users under 15 and is finishing the final steps. Greece plans to ban under-15s starting in January 2027. Austria is drafting a law to ban under-14s and expects the bill in mid 2026. Denmark, Norway, Poland, Slovenia, and Spain are also drafting or considering bans for ages 13 to 16.

    Main Image: Stock photo

    Join the UrbanGeekz community for the latest in tech, innovation, entrepreneurship, culture, and opportunities. Subscribe here.

    The post UK to Ban Social Media for Children Under 16 Starting in 2027 appeared first on UrbanGeekz.

    Previous Article
    Ice Cube’s Big3 League Set to Go Public After $290M Valuation
    Next Article
    The 7th Annual Black Music Moguls Brunch

    Related Tech Updates:

    Are you sure? You want to delete this comment..! Remove Cancel

    Comments (0)

      Leave a comment