U.K. announces plan to restrict social media use for children under 16

The United Kingdom announced a plan to restrict social media access for children under 16, with Prime Minister Keir Starmer saying the policy is intended to curb platforms that are “designed to be addictive.” The announcement was made June 15, 2026, as the government laid out its goal of having the restriction in place early next year, according to CBS News.

The proposal would target the use of social media by children under the age of 16, shifting responsibility to platforms and regulators rather than treating children as the sole enforcement point. Starmer’s comments framed the policy as a response to concerns that certain technology design choices can increase engagement in ways that raise risks for minors.

Under the government’s plan as described by CBS News, the focus is not only on whether minors can access social media, but also on the design features that platforms may use to keep users online. The Prime Minister said the intended ban is aimed at services built to be addictive, an emphasis that suggests the government intends to address product behavior mechanisms rather than only account-age controls.

The announcement comes amid broader political and public debate in the United Kingdom over online safety and the role of social media companies in managing risks to minors. In that context, the government’s stated timeline, “early next year,” indicates the policy is being treated as a near-term legislative or regulatory priority rather than a longer-term discussion item.

The next step will depend on how the restriction is implemented, including the legal mechanism for enforcing it and the definition of what counts as social media and what qualifies as “designed to be addictive.” Until those details are set out in legislation or formal regulatory guidance, the practical impact on children, parents, and platform operations will remain tied to the final scope and enforcement design.

As the government moves toward implementation, platform compliance procedures, age verification expectations, and the handling of exceptions for older minors and boundary cases will likely become central issues. The stated goal of restricting access for children under 16 sets a clear demographic line, but enforcement will require technical and administrative definitions that are typically worked out through legislation, consultation, and regulatory rulemaking.