Sir Keir Starmer has announced that under-16s will be banned from social media in a “big moment for our country”. The Prime Minister stated that Britain will follow Australia in prohibiting teenagers from using apps like TikTok, Instagram and Snapchat. He unveiled sweeping reforms to protect children online during a Downing Street press conference. The ban is set to come into force in the early part of next year.
World-leading action on gaming and live-streaming
The Prime Minister said the proposals will take “world-leading action on gaming services and live-streaming platforms”. He warned that social media was having an impact on children’s happiness and mental health. It became clear to him that “a full ban is the right choice”.
Starmer remarked: “This is not something I do lightly, and I will not present it as cost-free, as if social media has brought no benefits to young people, because clearly that is wrong. But government is always about choices, and it’s clear to me that a full ban is the right choice.”
A parent’s perspective
Speaking as a parent, he said: “I come to it as a parent myself. I know exactly the fears that we all feel when we’re thinking about this issue. All I’ve ever wanted for my own children, hand on heart, is for them to be happy and for them to be safe, and I think that’s what any parent wants, but I ask the question now, ‘do we truly believe that social media creates a happy environment for our children?’ Do we truly believe that 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.”
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