UK govt to ban under-16s from social media, mulls restrictions on livestreaming platforms

The United Kingdom government has announced that it would ban social media sites ‌for under-16s and impose restrictions on gaming and livestreaming platforms.

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced this at a press conference on Monday, June 15, 2026.

Starmer said the sweeping changes will reflect Britain’s values, helping to protect children online while pushing back against the power of big technology companies.

He said: “It is clear to me a full ban is the right choice. This will change the conversations that parents have and the expectations of children over time.

“It will make a ​huge difference, it will make our children safer, it will make our children happier, it will give ⁠them more time, more security, more freedom to grow up, more opportunity.”

As well as a ban on sites such as TikTok, ​Snapchat, and Instagram, Starmer said he would take action against gaming and livestreaming services which allow children to talk to strangers.

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“Is there ​a situation in the offline world where you would just let your child pair up with a stranger, an adult that you don’t know anything about? No, so we’re taking action on that,” Starmer added.

Australia was the ​first country to ban social media ​for children under 16, blocking ⁠them last December from platforms including TikTok, YouTube, and Meta’s Instagram and Facebook.

Since then, many countries have said they are looking to regulate access to social media amid mounting concerns over the impact on ​children’s health and safety.