June 15, 2026 The UK government plans to ban children under 16 from accessing major social media platforms under new legislation announced by Prime Minister Keir Starmer. The restrictions will apply to platforms including X, Facebook, YouTube and TikTok, following a similar move by Australia.
The government said the measures are part of a broader effort to deliver what Starmer described as “world leading action” on online safety and to ensure that “children will be given back their childhoods.” According to the government, the legislation will target user-to-user social platforms that enable social interaction, user-generated content and algorithmic recommendations. Messaging services such as WhatsApp and Signal will not be included in the ban.
Starmer said the proposals go beyond Australia’s approach by also introducing restrictions on livestreaming and communication between children and strangers. The government is additionally considering overnight curfews, breaks in infinite scrolling and new controls on AI chatbots.
So-called AI romantic companion chatbots, which are designed to simulate romantic or sexual relationships, will be required to enforce a minimum age of 18. Restrictions on these features will also be enabled by default for 16- and 17-year-olds.
The government said it will strengthen age-verification requirements to make it more difficult for children to bypass safeguards. As part of that effort, Ofcom will conduct a rapid review into effective age-assurance measures for determining whether users are over 16 and will publish a clear enforcement strategy.
During a press conference, Starmer said: “I want this message to be heard loud and clear. I am not prepared to compromise on the safety and happiness of our children, and that is why this ban must happen, and why this ban will happen.”
According to Starmer, a government survey found that 90 percent of adults and a majority of children support a full social media ban for under-16s. The prime minister told BBC News that the legislation is expected to pass later this year and come into force in early 2027. The government said further details on measures such as curfews and scrolling limits will be released in July.
The proposed legislation marks one of the most significant changes to online access for children in the UK, extending beyond social media platforms to include additional safeguards around AI-powered services and online interactions.
