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UK government bans social media access for children under age 16
The United Kingdom government has announced a nationwide ban on social media access for children under the age of 16, citing growing concerns about the impact of online platforms on young people’s safety, wellbeing and mental health.
The announcement was made by UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer in a viral video message in which he described the measure as a necessary step to protect children from the harmful effects of social media.
Parents raising concerns over social media
Speaking as both a parent and national leader, Starmer said his main wish for his children has always been for them to be safe and happy.
“Every parent wants the best for their kids and that’s what being a parent means,” he said. “For my two kids, all I’ve ever wanted, hand on heart, is for them to be safe and for them to be happy.”
The Prime Minister argued that children today face a more challenging environment than previous generations because of the growing influence of technology in their daily lives.
“These days, kids have to find their feet in a world that changes so quickly, where technology intrudes into every area of their lives,” he said.
Government cites evidence and public consultation
According to Starmer, thousands of parents who participated in government consultations expressed concerns about the impact of social media on their children.
“The response from parents in the consultation has been absolutely clear. Thousands of parents say their children are addicted to social media,” he stated.
He warned that excessive social media use can have serious consequences for young people.
“It can leave them trapped in a cycle of endless scrolling that displaces play, sleep and time with the family. It can harm their mental health and frankly, parents need our support on this.”
Ban described as a major national step
Announcing the policy, Starmer declared: “That is why today, the government has decided to ban social media access for children under 16.”
He described the decision as a significant moment for the country but acknowledged the challenges involved in enforcing such a measure.
“It’s a big step for our country. Now, it’s not an easy thing to do, I’ll be honest about that. We haven’t rushed into it, we’ve looked carefully at the evidence and we’ll have to adapt our approach as technology changes.”
Government prepared for opposition
The Prime Minister said the move is likely to face resistance from some of the world’s largest technology companies but insisted the government would not back down.
“It’s fair to say that this decision has been resisted and it will face resistance from some of the most powerful companies in the world, but we will take them on and we will win because the need for action could not be any clearer.”
‘Our children deserve better’
Starmer concluded by stressing that the policy is aimed at ensuring children have safer and healthier childhoods.
“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 because our children deserve better,” he said.
“They deserve a happy, safe childhood in a stronger, fairer Britain.”
Watch the video here…
UK government places ban on social media access for kids under age 16
— Instablog9ja (@instablog9ja) June 15, 2026
