London

The United Kingdom has announced a ban on social media access for children under the age of 16, Prime Minister Keir Starmer said on Monday.

In a video message posted on X, Starmer said the decision followed extensive consultations with thousands of parents and was driven by growing concerns over the harmful impact of social media addiction on children's lives, particularly their mental health.

"These days, kids have to find their feet in a world that changes so quickly, where technology intrudes into every area of their lives. And we know that harms them," Starmer said.

"The response from parents in the consultation has been absolutely clear. Thousands of parents say their children are addicted to social media. 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. Parents need our support on this."

"That is why today the government has decided to ban social media access for children under 16," he added.

Describing the move as a major step for the country, Starmer said the government had carefully assessed the available evidence and studied approaches adopted by other nations before arriving at the decision.

"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," he said.

"Social media is making our children unhappy and unsafe."

Emphasising the urgency of the issue, Starmer said children deserved a safer environment in which to grow up.

"Our children deserve better. They deserve a happy, safe childhood in a stronger, fairer Britain," he said.

The United Kingdom now joins a growing list of countries seeking to regulate minors' access to social media platforms.

Earlier this month, a government panel in Japan called for stricter responsibilities for social media companies, including stronger age-verification systems and restrictions on certain platform features to better protect underage users, according to Kyodo News.

Meanwhile, France has been working to fast-track legislation aimed at prohibiting social media use by children under the age of 15.

Australia had already implemented a nationwide ban on social media access for children under 16 last year, while Spain and Denmark are also considering similar measures.

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The UK government's latest move is expected to intensify the global debate over the role of technology companies in safeguarding children's wellbeing in the digital age.