'We will give children back their childhood,' Starmer says

Teenagers look at mobile phone screens showing social media apps in Sydney, Australia, in December last year. [Getty Images]
Teenagers look at mobile phone screens showing social media apps in Sydney, Australia, in December last year. [Getty Images]

The British government has announced sweeping legislation to ban children under 16 from using social media, joining a growing wave of countries moving to restrict minors' access to smartphones and social platforms in the name of child protection.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer unveiled the plan Monday in a speech at 10 Downing Street, calling it a measure "to give children back their childhood."

The ban would cover major global platforms including X (formerly Twitter), Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat and YouTube. Mobile messaging apps such as WhatsApp, as well as education and child-focused services like YouTube Kids and Google Classroom, would be exempt.

Starmer said the platforms "are designed to expose children to harmful content and to get them addicted," adding that the measures would make children "safer and happier, with more freedom and opportunity to grow."

The government said it aims to pass the legislation through Parliament before the end of the year and begin full enforcement in the spring of next year. The bill has cross-party backing — supported not only by the ruling Labour Party but also by the main opposition Conservative Party — making its passage highly likely.

Starmer also warned that gaming services and live streaming platforms can serve as avenues for unknown adults to contact children, and signaled additional "world-leading" restrictions in those areas. The government is also considering a nighttime usage curfew for those under 18 and measures to disable infinite scroll, with detailed proposals expected next month.

Public opinion strongly backs the move. A government consultation that ran through last month drew 116,000 responses — the second-highest ever recorded. Among parents who responded, 83 percent said the risks of social media outweigh the benefits, and 91 percent supported setting the minimum age for access at 16.

Asked by reporters whether he feared pushback from US President Donald Trump or Silicon Valley tech giants, Starmer said the government would press ahead. "This is a fight for the values we believe are right," he said. "I love technology and AI, but technological progress and child protection are not opposing ideas," he added.

The decision follows Australia's lead — the country became the first in the world to pass a law banning under-16s from social media in December last year. Since Australia's outright ban, Canada, Brazil and Indonesia have announced similar legislation, while France, Spain, Denmark and Thailand are also reviewing regulatory measures, reflecting a global trend toward restricting children's access to social media.


hwshin@heraldcorp.com