British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has announced a ban on social media for children under 16. In an announcement on Monday (June 15), he set out plans to limit children’s online activity. Starmer said social media was making children unwell. The British prime minister said the ban, which would cover gaming and live-streaming platforms as well as social media, would be a “world-leading step.” He said it would help prevent strangers from contacting children online.
The Independent reported that there was broad support in the country for banning social media for children. Nine in 10 parents in the country backed the decision, it said. Keir Starmer said: “As the father of two children, I believe banning social media for under-16s is the right decision.” The report said British authorities would ban social media for children in the country in the spring of 2027.
The platforms to be banned include Snapchat, TikTok, YouTube, Instagram, Facebook and X. WhatsApp and Signal are not on the list. While AI chatbots and gaming services would not be banned outright in the country, restrictions could be placed on their functions for certain age groups. The government is also considering measures such as setting nighttime usage limits for minors and curbing the habit of endless scrolling.
In a statement, Starmer said: “By banning social media for under-16s and bringing in wider protections to give children their childhood back, we are going a step further than any country in the world.” Britain is modeling the plan on a landmark law passed in Australia late last year, the report said.
বাংলায় মূল প্রতিবেদন পড়ুন · Read the original Bengali report