UK Ministers Lobby Trump Over Under-16 Social Media Ban as 9 in 10 Teens Use Platforms
Updated
Updated · The Guardian · Jun 15
UK Ministers Lobby Trump Over Under-16 Social Media Ban as 9 in 10 Teens Use Platforms
3 articles · Updated · The Guardian · Jun 15
Summary
Weeks before Keir Starmer meets Donald Trump at the G7 in Evian, UK ministers have been quietly reassuring US officials that the under-16 social media ban is about child safety, not targeting American tech groups.
The plan would make Britain the second country after Australia to impose sweeping child limits, covering X, Facebook, YouTube, Snapchat and TikTok, while also barring under-16 live-streaming and under-18 use of “romantic” chatbots.
Trump had previously threatened Britain with “a big tariff” over its digital services tax, and Elon Musk attacked the new rules as a “censorship law,” though Trump had not publicly commented by Monday evening.
Ofcom is drafting enforcement options for the autumn, including ID checks, account-history tests and facial recognition, with technology secretary Liz Kendall aiming to have the ban in force in the first couple of months of 2027.
The move would affect a broad share of young users—9 out of 10 Britons aged 13 to 15 have a social media account—while drawing support from Conservatives and campaigners but skepticism from some experts and major platforms.
Will the UK's social media ban drive children to darker, unmonitored corners of the internet?
Is this child safety law the first step towards a national digital ID and mass surveillance?
UK’s 2027 Social Media Ban for Under-16s: Rationale, Enforcement, and International Implications
Overview
The UK government is set to introduce a major ban on social media for children under 16, with Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer expected to announce the move on June 16, 2026. This ban will block under-16s from accessing popular platforms like TikTok, Snapchat, Instagram, YouTube, and more. Inspired by Australia’s earlier ban, the UK’s 'Australia-plus' approach will go further by also preventing children from livestreaming and adding extra safety measures. The government aims to protect young people’s wellbeing by restricting harmful online activities and is planning additional steps to ensure these rules are effective and comprehensive.