Sir Keir Starmer will on Monday announce a sweeping ban on social media for under-16s, going further than Australia's world-first prohibition with additional restrictions on gaming, AI chatbots and late-night scrolling for older teenagers.
The prime minister’s package, described by Whitehall sources as “Australia-plus”, will cover major platforms including TikTok, Instagram, Snapchat, X, YouTube, Reddit, Facebook, Threads, Twitch and Kick — the same ten apps blocked for under-16s in Australia since December 2025.
“Starmer to ban under-16s from major social media in 'Australia-plus' crackdown”
Children will also be stopped from livestreaming on “safer” sites, prevented from talking to strangers on gaming apps, and blocked from accessing romantic or sexual AI chatbots. For 16- and 17-year-olds, the government intends to introduce curfews to curb late-night scrolling, though precise details will not be unveiled until next month.
“How we keep kids safe online is one of the biggest debates of our time,” Starmer said in a statement. “As a dad, I know every parent wants their child to grow up safe and happy. This is a choice about whose side we’re on: families across the country, or a status quo that isn’t working.” He promised to “call time on a system that’s failing our kids”.
The announcement comes after a three-month government consultation that received 116,000 responses — the second-largest in history. Nine in ten parents backed a ban for under-16s, and more than 83% said the benefits of social media were outweighed by the risks.
But the father of Molly Russell, who took her own life aged 14 after viewing harmful content online, said he was “dismayed” by the reports. Ian Russell told the BBC that the policy had been “rushed” forward “for a political reason”, adding: “If he’s playing politics, what he’s doing is gambling with young people’s lives — and I find that deplorable.”
Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy said tech companies had had “more than enough time to get their house in order”. She told Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg: “If they are not prepared to do it, they lose the right frankly to market their products towards children.” But she acknowledged a ban alone was not a “silver bullet solution”.
Conservative shadow defence secretary James Cartlidge said his party believed a ban was “the right thing to do”, though he warned that legislation often struggles to keep pace with fast-moving technology.
Implementing the ban will require legislation. The government is expected to use powers under the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Act, but further laws may be needed to give ministers flexibility to adapt to new platforms. For now, parents will have to wait before any restrictions come into force.