UK PM Keir Starmer announces ban on social media for under-16s

LONDON – Children under 16 will be banned from using social media in the UK, Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced on Monday, saying such platforms were making youngsters “unhappy”. Some children’s charities welcomed the sweeping change, which is likely to trigger a major fight with US tech giants, but others warned it could make teenagers less safe online. Starmer, likely to face a leadership challenge in the coming weeks, said social media sites were exposing children to content that is “dangerous” and “designed to be addictive”. The ban will “include platforms like Snapchat, TikTok, YouTube, Instagram, Facebook and X” but not messaging […]...Keep on reading: UK PM announces ban on social media for under-16s

Longtime Slashdot reader schwit1 shares a report from NBC News: British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has announced a sweeping ban on social media use for those under 16, joining other countries around the world seeking to protect children online. "It's a big step for our country," Starmer said in a recorded video message released Monday. "Social media is making our children unhappy and unsafe, and as a parent, as much as a Prime Minister, I just can't let that go on anymore," he added. The ban will include social platforms like Snapchat, TikTok, YouTube, Instagram, Facebook and X, while there is no intention for messaging services like WhatsApp and Signal to be included, the government said in a release. [...] Starmer's government called Monday's announcement a "landmark" move, saying the new measures would be brought to Parliament before Christmas, with protections expected to come into force next spring. Beyond the blanket social media ban, the restrictions will also include blocks on functions such as livestreaming and stranger communication with children for under-16s, it added. "It's not an easy thing to do. I'll be honest about that," Starmer said. "We haven't rushed into it. We've looked carefully at the evidence, and we'll have to adapt our approach as technology changes, learn from other countries which are taking similar steps." He went on to say that it will face resistance from some of the most powerful companies in the world. "But we will take them on, and we will win, because the need for action could not be any clearer." Read more of this story at Slashdot.

There are real concerns about how a social media ban for under-16s will work. But tighter rules could be a step towards a better internet for everyone There is a long way to go before children under 16 in the UK are blocked from the main social media platforms – as Sir Keir Starmer announced on Monday that they will be. He proposed a date of next spring, although whether, and when, a ban comes in may be up to an eventual successor.But whatever happens next, a crunch moment has arrived sooner than expected. Until recently, it seemed highly unlikely that the government would seek to restrict the tech industry’s access to children in the way it is now doing. Eighteen months ago, ministers sided with Ofcom in a row over the implementation of the Online Safety Act. Groups including 5Rights argued that companies should be made accountable for harm reduction, as well as obliged to follow new rules. For a mixture of economic and political reasons, the government seemed determined to stay on the right side of big tech and Donald Trump. Its approach was timid.Do you have an opinion on the issues raised in this article? If you would like to submit a response of up to 300 words by email to be considered for publication in our letters section, please click here. Continue reading...

Britain will ban children under 16 from using a range of social media apps including Snapchat, TikTok and YouTube to protect young people from harmful content and excessive screen time, Prime Minister Keir Starmer said Monday,Starmer told a news conference that he will fight back if technology companies resist the move, and acknowledged some teens would try to find their way around a ban. But he said he is “not prepared to compromise on the safety and happiness of our children.”“Every parent can see it with their own eyes. Social media is making children unhappy,” said Starmer, who has two teenage children. “I’ve heard first hand from families crying out for change and we will do right by them.”The move, expected to take effect early next year, makes the U.K. part of a growing global movement to tighten online safety for children. Australia, Canada, Brazil and Indonesia have introduced legislation or announced age-based restrictions or requirements for children’s access to social media. France, Spain, Denmark, Thailand and South Korea are among others studying or developing similar approaches.The U.K. plans to follow the same model for a social media ban as Australia, which last year became the first country to bar under-16s from holding social media accounts. Platforms that fail to take reasonable steps to exclude children younger than 16 could be punished with multimillion-dollar fines.The U.K. said its ban will apply to platforms including Snapchat, TikTok, YouTube, Instagram, Facebook and X, but not YouTube Kids or messaging services like WhatsApp and Signal. Starmer stressed that enforcement action will target tech companies, not children.The prime minister also said he will go further than Australia’s measures.He said the government will act to prevent strangers from contacting children on gaming and livestreaming platforms. Authorities are also considering additional measures including overnight curfews and breaks in infinite scrolling for those under 18. More details are expected next month. Starmer’s announcement met with mixed reactions The decision follows a public comment period in which the government got 116,000 responses from parents, the tech industry and children. The number of responses was second only to one seeking input about same-sex marriage in 2012.The vast majority of respondents — more than 90% — wanted an under-16 ban, the government said.Esther Ghey, whose 16-year-old daughter Brianna was killed in 2023 by two teenagers who had accessed harmful content online, said the ban would “potentially save so many children’s lives,” but had to be accompanied by other measures.NSPCC, a leading children’s charity, praised the government’s ambition but urged authorities to ensure platforms roll out “robust age checks” and effectively enforce the policy.Others are more skeptical.Critics including the Open Rights Group have expressed concerns about age verification companies and how users’ private data is protected.Reacting on Monday, a spokesperson for YouTube warned that a blanket social media restriction could “push kids out of such curated, supervised, beneficial experiences and towards anonymous, less-safe services.”Starmer acknowledged the challenges, but said success for the ban would mean “a massive drop off of children on social media” and “a cultural change, a sense that actually you can grow up differently.”Starmer, elected just under two years ago, is under pressure to step down from members of his own party over what they see as poor leadership and could face a leadership challenge in the coming days or weeks. He is seeking to bring in consequential measures that can serve as a legacy. The U.S. has opposed the move The ban could further inflame tensions with the U.S., which has warned that regulations should be narrow and not violate free speech protections, according to a statement from the U.S. Embassy in London. It said it was also concerned that regulations would place greater burdens on American technology companies.Starmer said he expected to discuss the issue with U.S. President Donald Trump and other world leaders at a Group of Seven summit in France that starts Monday.“I honestly think that across world leaders, there has always been a recognition that leaders have to take steps to protect children,” he said. “I don’t think that’s controversial. There will always be arguments as to exactly what the limits of that are and what rules should be in place, but I don’t see that as a problem.”Jon Crowcroft, a communications systems professor at the University of Cambridge, said people supporting social bans are well-meaning but probably misguided, and changes could prevent children from accessing sites they need.“There is a real risk this will drive some users to worse sites and policing devices is close to impossible technically,” Crowcroft said. “Policing platforms is far easier, if only regulators would bother.” Associated Press writer Jill Lawless contributed to this story. —Sylvia Hui and Brian Melley, Associated Press

Social media access in the UK is set to be banned for under-16s as part of an online safety drive that includes a host of other restrictions.On Monday, Londoners praised the measures that are planned to block children from access to Snapchat, TikTok, YouTube, Instagram, X and Facebook, as well as livestreaming and communication on gaming platforms.The prime minister, Keir Starmer, said the changes were a 'line in the sand' for tech companies that had failed to keep children safe.A government consultation sought views on restrictions, curfews, app time limits and curbs on what it has described as addictive design features. Nine out of 10 parents who responded supported a ban, and two-thirds of young people agreed that children under 16 should be blocked from using at least some platforms.YouTube, which is owned by Google, said the policy could push children towards unsafe platforms – a common point made by ban opponents.A spokesperson said: 'YouTube is a vital resource for young people, educators and parents. Blanket bans push kids out of such curated, supervised, beneficial experiences and towards anonymous, less safe services'Social media firms hit back as Starmer announces ban for under-16s in UKWhy is the UK launching an ‘Australia plus’ social media ban and how will it work? Continue reading...

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Monday announced a ban on social media platforms for children under 16 and restrictions on gaming and livestreaming services, in what the government described as one of the toughest moves yet against major technology companies.The measures, which Starmer said would "give kids their childhood back", will apply to platforms including Snapchat, TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, Facebook and X. Messaging services such as WhatsApp and Signal will not be covered by the ban."It is clear to me a full ban is the right choice," Starmer told a press conference.Australia-style model with wider restrictionsBritain will use a similar model to Australia, which enacted a ban last December, the government said. It will cover platforms that also include YouTube, Facebook and X, but messaging services such as WhatsApp and Signal will not be included in the ban.The Sunday Times reported the UK would "go further" than Australia with additional measures including curfews for older teenagers and restrictions on AI chatbots.The UK government is also considering additional measures, including stronger age verification requirements and limits on features such as infinite scroll and autoplay.Britain will also introduce what it described as "world-leading blocks" on harmful functions, including livestreaming and stranger communication with children for those under 16."Is there a situation in the offline world where you would just let your child pair up with a stranger, an adult that you don't know anything about? No, so we're taking action on that," Starmer said.The Prime Minister said the government already had powers to begin implementing parts of the plan, with regulations expected by the end of the year and a full prohibition likely to take effect around next spring.Britain has steadily tightened regulation of technology companies in recent years, requiring or encouraging them to introduce age verification measures, modify algorithms and prevent children from sharing nude images taken on mobile phones.Starmer said growing concerns about the impact of excessive online activity on children's mental health had prompted the government to take stronger action after consultations with parents and a review of evidence from Australia.Stanford Students Walk Out During Sundar Pichai's Graduation Speech Over Google’s Israel LinksAlthough Starmer is expected to face a leadership challenge in the coming weeks, he said people rightly expected action on the issue.Australia became the first country to ban social media access for children under 16, blocking them from platforms including TikTok, YouTube and Instagram and Facebook.Since then, several countries have said they are considering measures to regulate access to social media amid concerns about its impact on children's health and safety.Parents support ban, experts remain dividedThe British government consulted teachers, parents and young people on possible restrictions, including a ban for under-16s, curfews, app time limits and limits on what it described as addictive design features.More than 116,000 responses were received. Over 83% of parents who responded said the risks of social media outweighed the benefits, while 90% supported a minimum age of 16 for access to social media platforms.While many parents and politicians support a ban, some psychologists and researchers have argued there is no evidence that such a measure would be effective. A group of schoolchildren in London also told Reuters they had a conflicted relationship with the technology.