British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said on Monday that his government would ban those under 16 from using social media platforms such as X, Snapchat, TikTok, YouTube, Instagram, and Facebook.

Starmer announced the measure during a press conference, saying the social media ban would make “a huge difference” to children’s lives and help protect them from harmful online content.

“It is clear to me a full ban is the right choice,” he told reporters. “This will change the conversations that parents have and the expectations of children over time.”

The British government will also implement “world-leading blocks” on livestreaming services and online features that enable under-16s to chat with strangers, according to a statement by the prime minister’s office.

Starmer said the restrictions will “go further than any other country,” covering a wider range of online services including gaming sites. These restrictions will be in place by default for those aged 16 and 17 to “prevent a cliff-edge at 16,” the government stated.

According to the statement, AI “romantic companion” chatbots designed to simulate sexual relationships or roleplay with users must enforce a minimum age requirement of 18. AI chatbots will have to restrict intimate features for under-18s more widely, it stated.

The social media ban will not apply to messaging services like WhatsApp and Signal.

“This is a decisive first step by the government which marks a clear choice to put children’s wellbeing first and give them a healthy life online. We stand ready to take further measures in the future,” it stated.

The UK government is also considering overnight curfews and breaks from infinite scrolling for under-18s, with further details expected to be unveiled in July.

The ban follows a national survey that received more than 116,000 responses from parents, children, and experts nationwide. The government said that nine in 10 parents support implementing a social media ban for children under 16.

Boys look at a phone on a subway in New York City on March 26, 2026. (Samira Bouaou/The Epoch Times)

The UK has increasingly toughened its approach to tech companies in recent years, urging or forcing them to impose age verification, adapt their algorithms and, most recently, ‌prevent⁠ children from circulating nude images taken on mobile phones.

Australia became the first country last December to impose a ban on social media for children under 16 amid concerns about the online safety risks to the nation’s youth.

The Australian government requires tech companies that operate social media sites to take what it calls “reasonable steps” to prevent youngsters from accessing their platforms or face fines.

Several countries have since followed suit or are weighing similar social media restrictions over concerns about the platforms’ impact on children’s mental health. Among those countries are Austria, Denmark, France, Indonesia, and Malaysia.

Reuters contributed to this report.