UK and Australia Tighten Social Media Restrictions for Children

Both nations cite child safety as the primary motivation for new policies targeting platforms, not children.

The governments of the United Kingdom and Australia have announced plans to implement or strengthen restrictions on social media access for children under 16. The UK has outlined a ban scheduled to take effect in early 2027, while Australia is pursuing additional enforcement measures for its existing ban, enacted in December 2025.

United Kingdom: Under-16 Social Media Ban

Key Provisions

Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced a ban on children under 16 using social media platforms, including Snapchat, TikTok, YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, and X (formerly Twitter). The ban is scheduled to take effect in spring 2027.

The following platforms and services are exempt from the ban:

• YouTube Kids
• Messaging services such as WhatsApp and Signal

Enforcement and Penalties

Enforcement will target technology companies, not children. Platforms that fail to take reasonable steps to prevent users under 16 from holding accounts could face multimillion-dollar fines.

Additional Measures Under Consideration

The government has announced it will act to prevent strangers from contacting children on gaming and livestreaming platforms. Further measures being considered for individuals under 18 include:

• Overnight curfews on platform access
• Breaks in infinite scrolling features
• Restrictions on chatbots that simulate sexual relationships (proposed for over-18 access only)

Public Consultation

The announcement followed a public comment period that received 116,000 responses. According to the government, over 90% of respondents supported an under-16 ban. More than 83% of parent respondents stated that the risks of social media outweigh the benefits.

Official Statements

Prime Minister Keir Starmer stated that social media is making children unhappy and that he is "not prepared to compromise on the safety and happiness of our children." He said the ban goes "further than any country in the world" and aims to "give kids their childhood back."

The government acknowledged it would "learn the lessons from Australia's experience" to improve age verification but did not specify methods.

UK Opposition Leader Kemi Badenoch expressed support, calling it "an important step in helping parents protect childhood for children."

Reform UK leader Nigel Farage opposed the ban, arguing it would be ineffective due to widespread VPN use and could introduce digital ID.

Esther Ghey, mother of 16-year-old Brianna Ghey who was killed in 2023 by two teenagers who accessed harmful content online, said the ban would "potentially save so many children's lives" but must be accompanied by other measures.

The NSPCC praised the government's ambition but urged robust age checks and effective enforcement.

Industry and Expert Reactions

YouTube (via a spokesperson) warned that a blanket social media restriction could "push kids out of such curated, supervised, beneficial experiences and towards anonymous, less-safe services."

Meta (parent company of Facebook and Instagram) opposed the ban, arguing that blanket bans push children toward less safe services.

The Open Rights Group expressed concerns about age verification companies and protection of user privacy.

Professor Jon Crowcroft, a communications systems professor at the University of Cambridge, said people supporting social bans are well-meaning but probably misguided, and that changes could prevent children from accessing sites they need, driving some users to worse sites. He described the ban as "close to impossible to police technically."

The U.S. Embassy in London warned that regulations should be narrow and not violate free speech protections, and expressed concern about greater burdens on American technology companies.

Public and Expert Reactions

A group of school children in London described a conflicted relationship with social media. In one classroom show of hands, no student supported the ban.

A teenage girl interviewed by the BBC said she uses social media to contact parents and family and expressed concern about not being able to contact friends.

Some psychologists and researchers have said there is no proof the ban will be effective.

Australia: Strengthening the Under-16 Social Media Ban

Existing Legislation

Australia's ban, which took effect in December 2025, requires platforms including Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat, YouTube, Twitch, Kick, and X to prevent users under 16 from holding accounts. Non-compliance may result in fines of up to AUD 49.5 million.

Planned Strengthening

On June 25, 2026, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced that the government is considering tougher measures to enforce the ban, citing concerns that current powers are insufficient.

Prime Minister Albanese stated in parliament: "We need to be courageous about this. There's more to do." He noted that tech companies are unaccountable and have significant power, and that Australians need to be in charge.

Proposed "Digital Duty of Care"

The government is consulting on a "digital duty of care" that would place broader obligations on technology companies to proactively prevent foreseeable harm. This could apply to:

• Algorithmic systems
• Recommendation engines
• Bots
• Platform design

The Prime Minister expressed concern that algorithms drive users toward extreme content, including what he described as "Nazi-level propaganda and calls for violence."

Specific Concerns

Albanese cited concerns about:

• AI-powered "nudify" apps that create sexually explicit images
• Exposure to pornography and violent content
• Reported increases in hospital presentations for certain injuries among young women

Enforcement and Effectiveness Data

• The eSafety Commissioner reported a 37% reduction in under-16 accounts over three months following the ban.
• Compliance reporting found that approximately 70% of children who had accounts before the ban were still using major platforms.
• Research from the University of Newcastle found that 80% of young Australians still access social media after the ban.
• The eSafety Commissioner described the laws as a "very blunt force approach" and noted limited enforcement powers and resources.

Current Enforcement Actions

The eSafety Commissioner is investigating Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok, and YouTube for potential breaches and has retained external lawyers for possible enforcement action. No fines have been issued as of the report date. A government source indicated a "significant" announcement is expected within days.

eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant said progress is being made but it takes time to undo long-standing social media entrenchment. She previously described the legislation as having "very thin scaffolding" and lacking potent powers.

International Context

The UK and Australia join a growing list of countries that have introduced or are considering age-based social media restrictions:

Australia's Prime Minister Anthony Albanese publicly congratulated UK Prime Minister Starmer on the UK's move. An eSafety report found that approximately 70% of Australian teens still access social media post-ban, and a survey showed 70% of Australian teens supported the ban initially.