UK PM promises ‘bold action’ on failing social media status quo

LONDON: British Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Monday pledged to “call time” on a social media system failing children amid curbs by a number of countries and calls by parents for an under-16s ban.

Starmer’s proposals reportedly go further than Australia’s, which in December became the first nation to ban people under 16 from social media.

They are expected to feature a total social media ban for teens in that age group along with measures aimed at stopping late-night scrolling for older teenagers, The Sunday Times reported.

Starmer’s Downing Street office said he would set out “world-leading action to protect children’s wellbeing online”.

The announcement follows a government-led consultation where British teenagers trialled social media bans and time limits on apps.

“How we keep kids safe online is one of the biggest debates of our time,” Starmer said ahead of the announcement, adding that “as a dad” he understood the anxieties of parents.

“This is a choice about whose side we’re on: families across the country, or a status quo that isn’t working.

“People rightly expect action… That’s why we will call time on a system that’s failing our kids and take bold action,” he said in a statement.

Canada’s culture minister last week introduced legislation that would ban children under 16 from having social media accounts and require AI chatbot services to limit production of harmful content.

The proposed Digital Safety Act makes Canada the latest in a number of countries cracking down on social media platforms over concerns of harm to children.

Indonesia began enforcing its own social media ban for users under the age of 16 in March, while several European governments have announced their desire to make similar moves.

‘Moral responsibility’

The UK government’s consultation on the issue, which closed in late May, attracted about 116,000 contributions, making it the second-largest response ever received.

Over 83% of parents who responded said the risks posed by social media outweighed the benefits for children, with 91% backing a minimum age of 16.

The much-anticipated UK announcement comes a week after the government said tech giants must stop children in Britain from being able to send and receive nude images on their devices.

Britain’s interior ministry said it was giving companies including Apple and Google three months to introduce safety features to block children from taking and accessing naked photos on phones and tablets.

If they failed to do so, the government would introduce legislation forcing them to activate the technology, it warned.

Starmer’s centre-left Labour government said technology companies had a “moral responsibility” to “protect children from coercion, abuse and sextortion”.

A law change would stop children from being able to access pornography while also making it more difficult for child abusers to target children, it said.

According to analysis by the Internet Watch Foundation charity cited by the government, 91% of online child sexual abuse reports recorded in 2024 contained self-generated content from children themselves.