UK to Enforce Strict Under-16 Ban on Social Media Platforms
The UK is preparing a sweeping crackdown that will ban under-16s from social media and restrict a wide range of online features aimed at children. The plan includes limits on livestreaming, stranger contact, disappearing messages and AI companion chatbots, with additional controls for 16 and 17-year-olds to avoid a sudden shift in online freedoms. The government cites overwhelming parental support, with over 90 percent backing a minimum age of 16 for social media access. Ministers aim to follow Australia’s model but promise stronger age assurance systems, though early trials show teens can still bypass checks with simple tricks. Critics warn the measures risk increasing surveillance, harming children's privacy and pushing them into less regulated spaces. Ofcom will oversee enforcement, but experts question whether the rules can be meaningfully implemented given teenagers’ ability to circumvent restrictions.