UK considers social media ban for under-16s

The government is exploring the possibility of prohibiting social media access for individuals under 16 in the UK.

This is part of a broader initiative they claim is meant to "safeguard the well-being of the youth."

Additionally, England’s educational overseer, Ofsted, will be authorised to assess mobile phone policies when inspecting schools, with officials anticipating that schools will be "primarily phone-free" as a consequence.

A pioneering ban on social media for young individuals was implemented in Australia in December 2025, motivating other nations, including the UK, to contemplate similar actions.

Although some specialists and charities focused on child welfare have expressed reservations about this idea, it enjoys considerable support from various quarters.

On Sunday, over 60 Labour MPs addressed a letter to the prime minister endorsing the ban, with the mother of slain teenager Brianna Ghey urging governmental intervention.

"There are those who say vulnerable youngsters need social media to locate their communities," wrote Esther Ghey, Brianna's mother, in a letter obtained by the BBC.

"As the parent of a highly vulnerable transgender child, I firmly oppose this view."

"In Brianna’s situation, social media inhibited her ability to engage in genuine social activities. She had actual friends but gravitated towards an online existence instead."

Catherine McKinnell, a former minister for school standards and one of the MPs who co-signed the open letter to Sir Keir Starmer, shared with BBC News that parents currently "felt ill-equipped to manage the rapid evolution of social media."