article_detail

The UK is set to follow Spain and Australia by banning social media for anyone under the age of 16. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced the move on Monday June 15, with the government framing it as a way to protect children from the dangers of being online.

 

Australia became the first country in the world to bring in such a ban last year, and Spain's Pedro Sánchez announced back in February that Spain would be doing the same. President Sánchez confirmed that under-16s in Spain would be banned from accessing social media, with tighter controls also planned for digital platforms that fail to remove content inciting hatred or that manipulate their algorithms.

 

In Spain, the plan is for the ban to form part of the law on minors in the digital sphere, which has been drawn up by the Ministry of Youth and Childhood and has been under discussion in Congress for almost a year.

 

In the UK, the platforms expected to be affected are the same ten as in Australia: TikTok, YouTube, Instagram, Reddit, Facebook, X, Threads, Snapchat, Twitch and Kick.

 

Speaking at Downing Street, Mr Starmer described the ban as "a significant moment" for the UK and said it was "the right decision", adding that "most parents will welcome it".

 

The PM acknowledged that the decision hadn't been taken lightly, but said parents' concerns about their children's access to social media had to be taken seriously.

 

"I see it as a parent. I know perfectly well the fears we all feel when we think about this issue. The only thing I've ever wanted for my children, hand on heart, is for them to be happy and safe, and I think that's what any parent wants, but now I ask myself: do we really believe that social media creates a happy environment for our children?" he said.

 

He continued, "Do we really believe it's a place where they can feel safe? I don't think I even need to answer those questions, do I? Every parent can see it with their own eyes. Social media is making children unhappy."

 

Mr Starmer admitted the change won't be straightforward, pointing out that some tech companies want people to believe social media is "immutable, part of an almost natural order". However, he argued the UK has to resist that idea, insisting that the country has "the power to decide".

 

The measure still needs to be approved by Parliament, where Labour holds an absolute majority in the House of Commons. The announcement comes a few months after a public consultation on the ban closed, having received more than 100,000 responses from parents and young people.

 

According to that consultation, 90% of parents who responded backed a minimum age of 16 for social media access, saying they believed the risks outweighed the benefits.

 

Image: Freepik