UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced that the government will introduce a ban on social media use for individuals under 16 and will limit operations of gaming and streaming platforms. According to London’s plan, the measures will take effect in spring 2027, Reuters reports.
The ban applies to YouTube, Facebook, and X (formerly Twitter), but not to messaging apps such as WhatsApp and Signal. The restrictions are modeled after Australia, where a ban was introduced last December.
Starmer emphasized that the proposed changes will "give children back their childhood." He also announced bans on networks such as Snapchat, TikTok, and Instagram, as well as gaming platforms that allow strangers to contact children.
The UK government will also impose strict limits on potentially dangerous features, such as live streaming. "In the offline world, would you allow your child to communicate with a strange adult whom you know nothing about? No. That’s why we are taking action," Starmer said, according to The Moscow Times.
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