New Delhi: The United Kingdom is preparing to introduce one of its toughest measures yet aimed at protecting children online. It is thought Prime Minister
Keir Starmer will announce that children under 16 will not be able to access social media platforms. According to reports from both The Guardian and the Financial Times, Prime Minister Keir Starmer will announce plans to ban access to social media for children under 16.
The UK would be joining other countries such as Australia in banning social media use by children. The shift follows a growing trend of governments around the world seeking to intervene in concerns related to how social media may affect children’s mental health, safety and online behaviours.
UK plans wide-ranging social media restrictions
The proposed ban would affect big social media apps like TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, X, Snapchat, Reddit, Threads, YouTube, Twitch, and Kick, according to reports from The Guardian and Financial Times. If children under 16 made or used accounts on these platforms, their rights would be limited.
In recent months the UK government has been looking into online child safety options. Now Starmer is likely to formally announce the policy in a speech on Monday.
Gaming apps could face new safety rules
The bans would not be applied to games apps in the same manner. But there are platforms that are used by younger people that might need to have certain features turned off so that children don’t have the opportunity to talk to strangers online.
The proposed measures are also set to prevent access to AI chatbots that are sexually explicit or romantic for users under 18 years old. Authorities are reportedly considering further measures to curb over-exposure to social media by teens at night.
New laws may be needed
There are aspects of the policy which can be achieved through current powers of regulation. But “parts” of the proposal could need new laws to be put in place before they can be implemented across the country, The Guardian reports.
The UK recently implemented age verification for some online services in the name of protecting children online, but in reality, the requirement is aimed at tightening up the security of online gambling, an industry that is considered to be a major source of child exploitation. The UK recently enacted age verification for some online services “to keep children safe online”, but in reality, this measure will make online gambling more secure, which is seen as a key reason for child exploitation.
Debate about benefits and privacy issues
Those who favour tougher regulations say social media sites are chock full of bad material for youth users. Mother of murdered teen Brianna Ghey has openly supported a social media ban for kids. She had earlier stated that the harmful content she saw online worsened her daughter’s eating disorder and self-harming behaviour.
But some critics doubt that these bans will have any significant impact on mental health. Age-verification systems have also been a concern for privacy advocates, who say they would risk online anonymity for users and force them to provide sensitive personal information.
Growing global trend
The UK is one of a number of nations to be considering more robust measures around children using social media. Australia’s new law has been adopted as a blueprint for other governments looking to curb online safety laws.
The UK’s proposal will be seen as a pivotal example to look back on when the debate on balancing child protection, privacy and digital freedom once again comes up for discussion in the future.
