Under-16s to be banned from TikTok, YouTube and other social media by next spring, Starmer says (UK)

Keir Starmer says under-16s will be banned from social media by spring 2027 - key points from the announcement. 15/Jun/2026 Snapchat, TikTok, YouTube, Instagram, Facebook and X are among the platforms affected - but not WhatsApp or Signal, the government says. "A full ban is the right choice... I am not prepared to compromise on the safety and happiness of our children," Starmer says in a televised statement. At a school in Wythenshawe, Manchester, Year 8 and 9 pupils have their say on social media: Sean, 13, says "it's a bad place" while Isaac, also 13, says he's "disappointed" ministers opted for a ban instead of trying to make platforms "safer". Meanwhile, Louise Gibson, the mother of 11-year-old Noah who is alleged to have died after attempting an online challenge, says "this is right for children and it's right for parents" - here's what other bereaved families told the BBC. In Australia, which became the first country in the world to introduce a similar ban in December, our reporter says little has changed and teenagers are bypassing age restriction systems. #socialmedia #socilamediaban #socialmediaUK #socialmediabanUK