The United Kingdom is set to implement a comprehensive crackdown on social media use by minors, with teenagers under the age of 16 facing a ban from accessing "high-risk" social media applications. Safer platforms will also be subject to new restrictions. Additionally, individuals under 18 will be prohibited from using romantic or sexual artificial intelligence chatbots, following a consultation aimed at enhancing child safety online.
Government Plans and Legal Challenges
Prime Minister Keir Starmer is expected to outline the proposals on Monday, although specific platforms that will be subject to the under-16 ban will be identified at a later date. However, sources have indicated that the government may face judicial review over its decision to ban certain platforms while exempting others. The measures include restrictions on "safe" social media apps, meaning under-16s will be barred from using disappearing messages, chatting with adult strangers, and livestreaming.
Rapid Turnaround and Public Support
The government's response has been notably swift, arriving less than two weeks after the consultation closed on 2 June. The consultation garnered over 116,000 responses, with nine out of ten parents expressing support for an under-16 ban. A Downing Street source stated that the prime minister had been clear since the consultation's conclusion that the government's action needed to be a "gamechanger," with no options off the table. "It's not going to be an incremental change, this is not going to be half measures," the source said. "The prime minister has listened to parents and he understands that they feel they are trying to do the right thing, but they are on their own against huge tech giants."
Comparisons with Australia and Industry Reactions
Australia has already implemented an under-16 social media ban, which applies to any service allowing social interaction between two or more users and permitting users to post material. This has resulted in a broad range of apps being banned, including TikTok, YouTube, Snapchat, X, Instagram, and Facebook. Sources close to the pro-ban camp expressed cautious optimism about Monday's announcement but raised questions about whether the government is prepared to take on big tech companies, including Google-owned YouTube. "It won't be enough to say that these sites have tools to keep children safe," they said. "What about all the research that says they are desperately addictive and bad for kids?"
Concerns Over Speed and Legal Threshold
One source close to the process described the post-consultation outcome as arriving too quickly, stating, "It all seems very rushed," and adding that "the prospect of multiple judicial reviews seems high." Judicial reviews assess whether a public body has reached a decision in a legal manner but do not judge the merits of the consultation outcome. Mark Jones, a partner at the law firm Payne Hicks Beach, noted that the speed of the decision after the consultation is not sufficient grounds for a successful challenge. "It is a high legal threshold, that the decision was irrational, procedurally unfair or illegal," he said. "Not only can such legal proceedings be costly, but such action would likely lead to public backlash as it is difficult to argue against child safety and illegal content protections."
Age Verification and Privacy Implications
The ban will raise complex questions about age verification in the UK and globally. Currently, the Online Safety Act requires platforms offering access to pornography or content related to self-harm or suicide to verify that users are over 18. Companies like Meta, the owner of Instagram and Facebook, already employ age verification measures, including self-reporting and third-party technologies. Meta has been exploring more robust age-verification technology and considering where responsibility for protecting users might lie, such as with device makers or app stores. The outcome will determine whether big tech platforms must collect and store more extensive user data, potentially impacting privacy.
