UK ban social media for Under-16, PM says it’s to give kids their childhood back

By Bimbola Oyesola
The United Kingdom government has unveiled sweeping plans to ban children under 16 from using major social media platforms, in what ministers described as a landmark move to reclaim childhood and protect young people from online harms.
Under proposals expected to be brought before Parliament before Christmas, social media giants including Snapchat, TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube and X would be prohibited from offering their services to under-16s. The measures, which ministers say are backed by nine in 10 parents, could come into force as early as Spring 2027.
The announcement marks one of the most significant interventions in the digital lives of young peo...