The UK government is set to announce a ban on under-16s accessing 'high-risk' social media apps, with restrictions on safer platforms. The move follows a consultation that received over 116,000 responses, with nine out of 10 parents supporting the ban. Prime Minister Keir Starmer will outline the plans on Monday, but specific platforms subject to the under-16 ban will be announced later.
Under-18s will also be banned from using romantic or sexual AI chatbots. Restrictions on 'safe' apps will include bans on disappearing messages, chats with adult strangers, and livestreaming for under-16s. The government has acted swiftly, with the response coming weeks after the consultation closed on 26 May.
A Downing Street source said the prime minister wanted a 'gamechanger' and that 'nothing was off the table'. The source added: 'It's not going to be an incremental change, this is not going to be half measures.' A senior government figure denied reports of last-minute debates over the definition of social media, stating the policy was 'properly thought through'.
However, sources warned of potential judicial reviews over the decision to ban some platforms but not others. Mark Jones, a partner at law firm Payne Hicks Beach, said the speed of the decision was not sufficient grounds for a legal challenge, noting the high threshold of irrationality, procedural unfairness, or illegality. He added that such challenges would likely face public backlash.
The ban raises questions about age verification. The Online Safety Act already requires platforms with pornography or self-harm content to verify users are over 18. Companies like Meta already use methods such as self-declaration and video selfies to verify ages.
