UK government considers historic social media ban for under-16s

The British government has launched a landmark three-month consultation to decide whether under-16s should be banned from social media.

This ambitious move aims to tackle the growing crisis surrounding children’s mental health and sleep, which many believe is being eroded by addictive platforms.

Ministers are now enlisting hundreds of teenagers for trials that will test overnight digital curfews and daily screen-time limits to see how these restrictions work in real-world settings.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer is pushing for powers that go significantly beyond the existing Online Safety Act. The government stated, “There is growing agreement that more needs to be done,” adding that the public’s contributions will "determine how the government will decide what that looks like."

Beyond a total age ban, the study will investigate if children should have unlimited access to AI chatbots and how to tighten age-verification rules.

Technology Minister Liz Kendall highlighted the pressure families face, noting, "We know parents everywhere are grappling with how much screen time their children should have, when they should give them a phone, what they are seeing online, and the impact all of this is having."

She urged families to join the "landmark consultation on how young people can thrive in an age of rapid technological change." Following Australia’s lead, the UK is also considering heavy fines for tech giants failing to remove harmful content.

For many parents feeling outpaced by Silicon Valley, this consultation represents a long-awaited chance to reclaim their children's digital well-being.