Prime Minister Keir Starmer has spoken live this morning announcing a UK wide social media ban for Under 16s.
“A full ban is the right choice,” the prime minister says, adding “this is not something I do lightly”
TikTok, Snapchat and Instagram are among the apps that are included in this ban with under 16s soon unable to access content (and accounts) on those platforms. Other platforms and chat apps are expected to be included to ensure ways to circumvent the ban aren’t easy to find.
Live streaming content may be included as will the ability for youngsters to talk to strangers whilst gaming.
The move has been a long time coming and is aimed to reduce harm to children and prevent them seeing content not suitable for young people. The ban also further aims to push children back towards being offline more and away from endless ‘doom scrolling’.
The decision will shock many youngsters today, who will soon lose access. Further details about when and how this will work are expected to follow.
Australia became the first country in the world to introduce a similar ban in December last year, with other countries already having partial bans. The UKs move is as strict as Australia’s with outright ban.
Have your say. How do YOU feel about today’s news?
