UK announces social media ban for under-16s
Key takeaways
- The United Kingdom is set to follow the example of Australia and Indonesia by banning teenagers from social networks.
- The ban, which Starmer hopes will be passed into law by December and come into force early in 2027, follows similar initiatives launched in Australia, Canada, Brazil and Indonesia.
- "Every parent can see it with their own eyes: social media is making children unhappy," said Starmer, who himself has two teenage children.
Why this matters: an international story with cross-border implications worth tracking.
The United Kingdom is set to follow the example of Australia and Indonesia by banning teenagers from social networks. Prime Minister Keir Starmer said platforms like Instagram and Tik Tok make youngsters "unhappy."
https://p.dw.com/p/5FTCBStarmer's under-16 social media ban proposal is expected to be brought to Parliament before Christmas Image: Carlos Jasso/PA Images/picture alliance Advertisement Children under the age of 16 will be banned from using social media in the United Kingdom from early next year, the British government announced on Monday.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer said that popular social media platforms such as Snapchat, TikTok, YouTube, Instagram, Facebook and X (formerly Twitter) were "designed to be addictive," making them "dangerous" and making youngsters "unhappy."