UK Moves Closer to Enacting Under-16s Social Media Ban Amid Growing Global Scrutiny

The UK government is advancing a landmark piece of legislation that would prohibit children under the age of 16 from using major social media platforms, with a key vote expected in the House of Lords within the coming week. Prime Minister Keir Starmer has publicly voiced alarm over the rising levels of screen time among young people, citing evidence linking excessive social media use to anxiety, depression, and sleep disruption in adolescents. The proposed ban, modeled after Australia’s recently enacted legislation, would require platforms like Meta’s Facebook and Instagram, TikTok, X (formerly Twitter), and Snap Inc.’s Snapchat to verify users’ ages through government-approved identity checks. Failure to comply could result in fines up to 10% of global annual revenue. The legislation would also mandate that platforms provide default privacy settings and limit algorithmic content recommendations for minors. Data from the UK’s Office for National Statistics shows that 74% of children aged 12 to 15 now use social media daily, with an average of 3.4 hours per day—up from 2.8 hours in 2020. Mental health reports from the National Children’s Society indicate a 25% increase in reported anxiety symptoms among teenagers since 2021, coinciding with the rise in platform engagement. These figures have intensified pressure on lawmakers to act. If passed, the ban would affect over 7 million minors in the UK and could influence policy discussions in the EU, Canada, and the United States, where similar bills are under review. Tech companies, including Meta and TikTok, have begun preparing for compliance by developing age verification tools, though concerns remain about data privacy and effectiveness.