Across the world, governments are taking a harder look at what children see and do on social media. What started as concern about harmful content has evolved into actual bans. The United Kingdom joined this trend on today when Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced that Britain will ban social media for anyone under 16, claiming the plan will go further than any country has before.
The UK proposal targets user-to-user platforms built for social interaction that let people post material and use algorithms. That list includes Snapchat, TikTok, YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, and X. Messaging services like WhatsApp and Signal will not be affected, the government said. The bill will go to lawmakers before Christmas, with protections expected to start in spring 2027.
This move follows several countries. Australia became the world’s first country to implement a social media ban for under-16s in December 2025, blocking access to 10 platforms. Spain followed in February 2026 with its own under-16 ban and strict age verification rules. Malaysia started enforcing its ban earlier this month in 2026, requiring platforms to implement age verification and block under-16 account creation.
France, Denmark, and Norway have also announced plans. France is advocating for a ban on children younger than 15, with implementation planned by September 2026. Denmark’s Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen announced in October 2025 that the nation will prohibit social media for under-15s, calling it a measure to stop platforms from “stealing childhood”. Parents in Denmark can give permission for children as young as 13 to access certain platforms. Norway plans to implement a strict social media ban for under-16s by the close of 2026, requiring technology firms to adopt age verification systems.
Do these bans work? Spain’s ban was introduced too recently to produce meaningful data. However, Australia’s eSafety commissioner surveyed 898 parents of children aged 8 to 15 from January 19 to February 2, 2026, and found that around seven in 10 children who had a social media account before the ban still had one. The commissioner noted that while fewer under-16s have accounts than four months ago, significant numbers remain on these platforms. About 66 percent of parents whose children continued using social media reported that platforms had not required age verification.
Australian authorities have not fined any tech companies for non-compliance, though Snapchat, TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube are all under investigation. Some teenagers have told reporters the ban is “completely useless” because age estimation technology can be bypassed.
The UK plan differs from Australia’s by including blocks on harmful functions such as livestreaming and stranger communication with children for under-16s, which will also apply to gaming sites. Technology Secretary Liz Kendall said Britain plans to learn from Australia’s experience by making it far harder for children to bypass safeguards. The government will work with UK communications regulator Ofcom on an enforcement strategy.
Nine in 10 British parents back the ban according to the UK government, and children’s charities have welcomed the move. Lynn Perry, chief executive of Barnardo’s, warned that a ban is not a silver bullet and emphasized that social media companies must take responsibility for making platforms safe. Chris Sherwood, CEO at the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children, called the move a watershed moment for child protection while highlighting the need for effective enforcement.
Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, said bans risk isolating teens from online communities and driving them to unregulated alternatives. A spokesperson for Snap Company said an outright ban that disconnects teens from relationships does not make them safer and may push them to less safe platforms. Both companies called for careful consideration of scope and robust age verification systems on devices.
The global trend reflects growing concern about online harms, from cyberbullying to inappropriate content to algorithm-driven addiction. Each country takes a different approach, from blanket bans to functionality restrictions to age verification requirements. The UK aims to combine multiple strategies into what it calls a more comprehensive model that responds to how children experience harm online rather than just where it happens. Whether these measures protect children or simply push them to other platforms remains to be seen as enforcement begins.
