UK readies social media ban for under-16s within days
What's next: Ministers are weighing either a blanket ban or limits on key app features, using age checks introduced for porn sites in 2025.
Britain is preparing to roll out new limits on children’s social media use, with Prime Minister Keir Starmer expected to set out a policy within days that could block users under 16 from major platforms. Technology Secretary Liz Kendall said ministers are considering either a blanket ban or restrictions on core features of social networks and apps. She said nine in 10 parents who responded to a government consultation backed a ban. The government is also examining whether age-verification tools brought in during 2025 for adult websites could be applied to social media. In a June 8 speech, Starmer gave Apple and Google three months to add device controls to stop children from sending and receiving sexually explicit images, warning that legislation could follow if they do not act.