UK bans social media for under-16s to give children 'back their childhoods'

In a landmark move backed by 90% of parents, the UK government has announced a social media ban for under-16s, set to come into force next spring.

The ban will include platforms like TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Snapchat, YouTube and X, but excludes messaging services such as WhatsApp and Signal. It follows a report by the Academy of Medical Royal Colleges warning that children were being "continuously exposed to hateful, addictive and grossly distressing content" online.

The decision was welcomed by the Smartphone Free Childhood Movement, co-founded by former Positive News editor Daisy Greenwell and her husband Joe Ryrie. "Millions of children will now get a few more years to grow up before entering online environments that were never designed with their wellbeing in mind," said Ryrie.

The UK joins Australia in implementing such legislation, with Denmark, New Zealand and France also considering similar measures. Technology secretary Liz Kendall said: "Tech companies have had countless opportunities to keep children safe, yet they have failed to act. That is why we are taking power away from the tech giants and putting it back in parents' hands."