London, United Kingdom. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said on Monday that Britain would ban social media sites for under-16s and impose restrictions on gaming and livestreaming platforms. He said the measures would be among the most far-reaching online restrictions introduced to date.
Announcement of new measures
Starmer told a press conference that the sweeping changes would reflect Britain’s values, help protect children online and push back against the power of major technology companies.
He said a full ban was the right choice and that the move would affect expectations among parents and children over time. Starmer said the measures would make children safer and happier, while giving them more time, security, freedom to grow up and opportunity.
Scope of restrictions
As well as a ban on platforms such as TikTok, Snapchat and Instagram, Starmer said the government would act against gaming and livestreaming services that allow children to talk to strangers.
He said the government was responding to risks that would not be accepted in offline settings, referring to situations in which children could be paired with unknown adults.
Implementation timeline
Starmer said the government already had the powers to take the first steps toward a ban. He said regulation would follow by the end of the year, with a prohibition expected to be in place around next spring.
Broader policy context
Britain has steadily strengthened its approach to technology companies in recent years, urging or requiring them to introduce age verification, adjust algorithms and prevent children from circulating nude images taken on mobile phones.
Starmer said growing awareness of the mental health risks linked to children spending too much time online had led him to go further after speaking to parents and reviewing evidence from Australia, which introduced a ban for under-16s last year.
Political backdrop
Starmer said people rightly expected action as he faces the prospect of a leadership challenge in the coming weeks.