Keir Starmer’s British government has banned social media for under-16s from 2027, joining Australia in pressuring 19 US states and several countries to protect children from addictive platforms.
Keir Starmer has just caught the tech industry’s attention as the UK is about to become the second country in the world to completely ban children under 16 from using social media.
The move, announced by the Prime Minister on Monday, has a different impact because it is no longer just talk.
From spring 2027, platforms including TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, X, YouTube and Snapchat will all be banned from use by anyone under 16, with Ofcom responsible for enforcement.
Australia took the lead in becoming the first country to enact a comprehensive ban on social media in December 2025.
But the UK has gone a step further by restricting the use of artificial intelligence “romantic partner” chatbots by anyone under 18, addressing a new digital hazard that most governments have yet to acknowledge.
Starmer made clear: “There is a bottom line. The tech giants had their chance and failed, but we are stepping in to protect children, support parents and set a new normal for future generations.”
Momentum is building globally. France, Spain, Denmark, Greece, Norway, Poland, Slovenia and Malaysia are all enacting similar legislation, while at least 19 states in the United States have enacted laws targeting minors’ use of social media.
Utah leads the country in passing eight bills since 2023, and the federal Keep Kids Off Social Media Act is before Congress.
What’s the reason? The receipt is undeniable.
In March 2026, a jury found Meta and YouTube responsible for intentionally designing the platform to make children addicted, awarding one family $6 million in damages.
Mark Zuckerberg himself testified about these addictive features, and the verdict sent shockwaves through Silicon Valley.
Elon Musk’s
The message from the UK Government is simple: children need their childhood back, and less time scrolling means more time playing.
Science and Technology Minister Liz Kendall called it “a bold and important step towards creating safer and healthier lives online for our children and future generations.”
The ban does not include messaging apps such as WhatsApp that focus exclusively on social interactions and algorithmic feeds.
It represents a global reckoning with how social media companies prioritize participation over youth safety and forces the industry to finally respond to years of documented harm.
The UK’s move shows that governments around the world are no longer waiting for voluntary compliance from platforms that have repeatedly chosen profit over protection.
