UK to ban social media for children under 16

MUMBAI: The scroll may soon hit a stop sign. In Britain, the endless swipe that has defined a generation’s childhood is facing its biggest roadblock yet. The UK government is set to ban social media access for children under the age of 16, with Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer unveiling what could become one of the country’s most significant interventions in the digital lives of young people.

Announcing the move from Downing Street, Starmer argued that social media platforms have evolved from communication tools into powerful forces shaping childhood, often at the expense of wellbeing, safety and healthy development.

“Social media is making children unhappy,” he said, warning that online platforms increasingly expose young users to bullying, abuse and harmful content while employing features designed to maximise screen time rather than support healthy habits.

At the centre of Starmer’s criticism was the infinite scroll, a seemingly simple feature he described as deliberately engineered to keep children online for hours. The result, he argued, is time lost to activities that play a crucial role in growing up.

From unfinished homework and neglected books to fewer hours spent outdoors with friends and later bedtimes, Starmer said excessive social media use is quietly replacing experiences that help children develop into well-rounded adults.

Drawing a contrast with his own childhood in the early 1970s, the Prime Minister acknowledged that every generation faces challenges. However, he argued that today’s teenagers are navigating a uniquely intrusive digital environment where mistakes can be amplified, archived and revisited indefinitely.

“To deal with that as a teenager, on top of everything else, that’s hard,” Starmer said.

The proposed restrictions also reflect growing concern among policymakers worldwide over the impact of social media on mental health, digital addiction and online safety. Governments across several countries have been exploring tougher rules as evidence mounts around the psychological pressures faced by younger users.

Starmer framed the ban as an effort to support parents, many of whom he said are struggling to balance the benefits of technology with concerns about its influence on their children.

“I think most parents will welcome this action,” he said, positioning the move as a direct challenge to some of the world’s most powerful technology companies.

The proposed ban marks a major escalation in Britain’s approach to regulating children’s online activity and could reignite a broader global debate over where the line should be drawn between digital freedom and digital protection.

While the government is yet to outline exactly how the restrictions will be enforced, one thing is clear, in the battle between screen time and childhood, Westminster has decided to take a side.