UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer is expected to announce on June 15 a ban on social media use by children under 16 in the UK, reports said.

The policy would also bar people under 18 from using romantic and sexual chatbots and aim to curb late-night scrolling.

Australia offers a comparison. Its social media ban for children under 16 is due to take effect no earlier than 12 months after approval and carries penalties of up to A$50 million (US$35.1 million) for non-compliance.

The law is expected to apply to platforms including Snapchat, TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, and X. Gaming and messaging services, as well as websites accessible without an account, are exempt.

Research on social media’s impact on young people’s mental health remains mixed.

A 2025 review found social media can support wellbeing and marginalized groups in some cases.

At the same time, it linked harmful content, cyberbullying, and features such as endless scrolling to anxiety, depression, and sleep disruption.

Some compliance tools already exist in the UK.

Instagram uses AI-based age estimation and may ask some users for identification or a video selfie, suggesting a blanket ban would build on existing age-check systems rather than start from scratch.

🔗 Source: TechCrunch

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