UK announces ban on social media for under-16s

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British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said this Monday (15) that he intends to ban the use of social networks by people under 16 and impose restrictions on gaming platforms and live broadcasts.
The measure is part of an offensive against large technology companies that goes beyond what has already been adopted in other countries.
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The sweeping changes will "give children their childhood back," Starmer told reporters, as he detailed measures against Snapchat, TikTok, Instagram and other platforms, as well as gaming sites that allow strangers to contact minors.
"To me, it's clear that a total ban is the right choice," he said.
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"It will make a huge difference, it will make our children safer, happier, it will give them more time, more security, more freedom to grow and more opportunities."
However, experts question the effectiveness of a total ban. Starmer himself acknowledged that it will be difficult to ensure full compliance with the measures.
The UK will go further than Australia - the first country to ban social networks for children - by including controls on gaming platforms and evaluating measures such as limits on nighttime use and restrictions on infinite scrolling for under-18s.
YouTube, Facebook and X will be included, the government said. Messaging services such as WhatsApp and Signal, however, will be left out.
Starmer said the country will also adopt "world standard blocks" on live broadcasts and contact between strangers and children.
"Is there any situation in the offline world in which you would let your child approach a stranger, an adult you know absolutely nothing about?", he asked.
While parents and politicians support the proposal, psychologists and researchers say there is no evidence that the measure works.
A group of schoolchildren in London also told Reuters they have a conflicted relationship with technology.
The ban could come into force next spring, according to Starmer, based on existing powers and new regulations expected by the end of the year.
The UK has been toughening its approach to technology companies, pressuring them to adapt their algorithms and, more recently, preventing children from sharing nude images taken on cell phones.

Source: G1