Britain Bans Social Media for Those Under 16 Years Old

SadaNews - British Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced that he will ban social media for those under 16 years old and impose restrictions on gaming and live streaming platforms.

Starmer stated on Monday that he will implement drastic changes to the regulations concerning social media to better protect minors during their internet use.

He said, "It is clear to me that a complete ban is the right option," adding that, although it won't be easy, the government has the capability to confront the power of major tech companies, according to "Reuters."

Britain has increasingly tightened its approach towards tech companies in recent years, urging or even forcing them to implement age verification measures, control algorithms, and recently even prevent minors from trading explicit images taken with mobile phones.

Australia was the first country to ban social media for those under 16, having prohibited them from using platforms like TikTok, YouTube, Instagram, and Facebook in December.

Following this, a number of countries announced they are seeking to regulate access to social media amid growing concerns about its impact on minors’ health and safety.