In the clip above, Isabella, a 14-year-old from Tarleton, seems singularly unimpressed.
Source: NBC News
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has announced a sweeping ban on social media use for those under 16, joining other countries around the world seeking to protect children online.
“It’s a big step for our country,” Starmer said in a recorded video message released Monday. “Social media is making our children unhappy and unsafe, and as a parent, as much as a Prime Minister, I just can’t let that go on anymore,” he added.
The ban will include social platforms like Snapchat, TikTok, YouTube, Instagram, Facebook and X, while there is no intention for messaging services like WhatsApp and Signal to be included, the government said in a release.
Starmer’s government had been considering tougher limits on children’s social media as governments around the world face growing pressure to curb young people’s time online.
The push gained momentum after Australia became the first country to pass a law barring children under 16 from accessing major social media platforms, an effort aimed at addressing the concerns about the physical and mental health effects of excessive online use.
We are banning social media access for under 16s.
These days kids must find their feet in a world where technology intrudes into every area of their life.
I just can’t let that go on anymore. So we’re giving children their childhoods back. pic.twitter.com/jn7iQrcwk8— Keir Starmer (@Keir_Starmer) June 15, 2026
BBC: “What was your screen time?”
Student: “Nine hours.”
BBC: “You’re gong to have a lot more time to fill. What will you do?”
Student: “Stare at a wall.” pic.twitter.com/UCpwSCzcJ6— Scott Bryan (@scottygb) June 15, 2026
