{"id":15136,"date":"2026-06-15T16:01:50","date_gmt":"2026-06-15T16:01:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/siliconvalleymovingpost.com\/?p=15136"},"modified":"2026-06-15T16:01:50","modified_gmt":"2026-06-15T16:01:50","slug":"uk-bans-under-16s-from-using-social-media-apps-including-tiktok-and-youtube","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/siliconvalleymovingpost.com\/?p=15136","title":{"rendered":"UK bans under-16s from using social media apps including TikTok and YouTube"},"content":{"rendered":"

By SYLVIA HUI and BRIAN MELLEY<\/strong><\/p>\n

LONDON (AP) \u2014 Britain will ban children aged under 16 from using a range of social media apps, including Snapchat, TikTok and YouTube, to protect them from harmful content and excessive screen time, Prime Minister Keir Starmer said Monday.<\/p>

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The ban, which is expected to take effect early next year, makes the U.K. part of a\u00a0growing global movement\u00a0to tighten online safety for children.\u00a0Australia,\u00a0Canada,\u00a0Brazil\u00a0and\u00a0Indonesia\u00a0have introduced legislation or announced age-based restrictions or requirements for children\u2019s access to social media. France, Spain,\u00a0Denmark,\u00a0Thailand and South Korea are among others\u00a0studying or developing\u00a0similar approaches.<\/p>\n

\u201cEvery parent can see it with their own eyes. Social media is making children unhappy,\u201d said Starmer, who has two teenage children. \u201cI\u2019ve heard first hand from families crying out for change and we will do right by them.\u201d<\/p>\n

The plan was met with mixed reaction, with some praising Starmer for taking action and others questioning the effectiveness of a blanket ban.<\/p>\n

YouTube and Meta \u2014 the parent company of Facebook and Instagram \u2014 warned Monday that a blanket social media restriction could push kids into unregulated spaces.<\/p>\n

\u201cBlanket bans push kids out of such curated, supervised, beneficial experiences and towards anonymous, less-safe services,\u201d a YouTube spokesperson said. Meta said a ban could drive teens to online alternatives without any parental controls.<\/p>\n

Starmer acknowledged the challenges and said some teens would try to find their way around a ban, but said: \u201cI do believe we can enforce it.\u201d<\/p>

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He added: \u201cTeenagers drink before they should, but we do not then say, \u2018in which case let us abandon any attempt to stop them buying alcohol.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n

The prime minister \u2014 who is\u00a0under pressure to step down\u00a0from members of his own party over what they see as poor leadership and could face a challenge from within his Labour Party in the coming days or weeks \u2014 said he is \u201cnot prepared to compromise on the safety and happiness of our children.\u201d<\/p>\n