The government said it would also look into ‘overnight curfews’ and breaks against ‘infinite scrolling’ for those under the age of 18.
June 15, 2026 13:44 IST
Children under the age of 16 will soon be ‘banned’ from using social media in the United Kingdom. The government said it would also look into ‘overnight curfews’ and breaks against ‘infinite scrolling’ for those under the age of 18. Prime Minister Keir Starmer has insisted that he would fight back if technology companies resist.
He noted that the British government already has the powers to take the first steps in any ban. Starmer has indicated that regulations will follow by the end of the year with a prohibition in place around next spring.
‘Full ban’ to impact Instagram, TikTok and more
“It is clear to me a full ban is the right choice. This will change the conversations that parents have and the expectations of children over time. It will make a huge difference, it will make our children safer, it will make our children happier, it will give them more time, more security, more freedom to grow up, more opportunity,” a Reuters report quoted him as saying.
The ban outlined by Starmer would include popular sites such as TikTok, Snapchat and Instagram. The Prime Minister said he would also take action against gaming and livestreaming services that allowed children to talk to strangers.
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“Is there a situation in the offline world where you would just let your child pair up with a stranger, an adult that you don’t know anything about? No, so we’re taking action on that,” he added.
UK demands device controls, tech bosses could face criminal charges
The announcement comes less than a week after Starmer asked big tech firms operating in Britain to stop children circulating nude images on their phones or face legislation forcing them to do so. The new plan would require companies such as Apple and Google to build or activate existing technical solutions on smartphones and tablets to detect and block nude images for children. Adults would still be able to take, share or view nude content through an age verification process.
“Today I’m calling on tech companies operating in this country to introduce device controls that prevent children from sending and receiving sexually explicit images. This is not an impossible challenge,” Reuters quoted him as saying at London Tech Week.
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This article was first uploaded on June fifteen, twenty twenty-six, at forty-four minutes past one in the afternoon.
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