U.K. Moves To Bar Under-16s From Major Social Networks, Sets Age Rules For Certain AI Chatbots

Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced Monday that his administration will introduce rules preventing people under 16 from using major social networking services and will require so-called simulated-partner AI chatbots to limit access to adults. The proposed restrictions would cover platforms such as Snapchat, TikTok, YouTube, Instagram, Facebook and X, while messaging apps including WhatsApp and Signal would be exempt. Officials said the measures could be in force by next spring and described the plan as tougher than comparable proposals overseas.

Starmer framed the action as an attempt to tackle harms he says parents are witnessing: children distracted from sleep, reading and outdoor play, exposed to content that can lead to harassment or mental-health strain, and kept hooked by algorithmic feeds. He acknowledged enforcing an age cutoff will be difficult but said the government will pursue technological and legal means to make it work.

The government began a public consultation earlier this year, asking families, young people and civil groups whether restriction was the right step. More than four out of five parents who responded told officials that the dangers of social platforms outweighed their advantages, the ministry reported. Ministers also signaled new oversight and industry duties will be written into forthcoming legislation and regulatory guidance.

Independent analysts and child welfare specialists reacted with caution. “A blanket prohibition could drive teenagers toward encrypted messaging or overseas services that are harder to police,” said Dr. Naomi Harper, a child development researcher at the University of Manchester. Cybersecurity consultant Aaron Patel warned that robust age checks could raise privacy concerns and be costly for smaller firms, and that underage users often bypass controls by lying about their birth dates.

The announcement follows similar policy moves abroad: Australia imposed a comparable ban late last year, and officials in Canada, France and Denmark have been developing their own approaches. Whitehall officials argue the U.K. package will be more comprehensive, pairing platform limits with rules for certain AI applications that simulate intimate relationships, which will be restricted to users 18 and older.

Industry groups say they will study the proposals and engage with regulators. Parents and teachers said they want clearer enforcement and support for alternatives to screen time. Lawmakers now face a race to draft the bill, hash out technical checks and set penalties, with ministers aiming to have the measures operating by the middle of next year.