UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer has announced plans to completely ban the use of social media by teenagers under 16, as well as significantly limit the functionality of gaming and streaming platforms.
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer has announced plans to completely ban the use of social media by teenagers under 16, as well as significantly limit the functionality of gaming and streaming platforms.
According to Reuters, the changes will cover popular platforms such as Snapchat, TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, Facebook and X. At the same time, messaging apps, including WhatsApp and Signal, will not be banned. In addition to access to social networks, the British government plans to block minors from conducting live broadcasts and communicating with strangers on gaming platforms.
According to Starmer, such radical steps should "give children back their childhood", make them happier and protect them from the dangers of the internet.
"Can you imagine a situation in real life where you would allow your child to communicate with a completely unfamiliar adult? No, that's why we are taking appropriate measures online. It is obvious to me that a complete ban is the right choice," the head of government explained during a press conference.
It is expected that the relevant regulatory norms will be prepared by the government by the end of this year, and the ban itself will come into effect approximately in the spring of next year.
Recall that when developing these restrictions, the United Kingdom was guided by the recent experience of Australia, which was the first in the world to pass a law banning social networks for children. Previously, dev.ua published an article where we considered whether it is necessary to ban social networks for children in Ukraine .
