UK Considers Social Media Ban for Under-16s Following Australian Precedent

The UK government launched a consultation on a potential ban on social media for individuals under the age of 16, according to the BBC. The move is part of a series of measures intended to "protect young people's wellbeing," the government stated.

The consultation was spurred by concerns from parents, Members of Parliament, and the mother of murdered teenager Brianna Ghey, multiple news sources reported. The aim is to protect vulnerable children and limit compulsive social media use.

The proposed ban follows a similar measure implemented in Australia in December 2025, which became the world's first social media ban for young people, prompting other countries, including the UK, to consider similar action, according to BBC Technology.

In addition to the potential ban, the package will include stricter age verification measures and tougher guidance from Ofsted, England's education inspectorate, for schools to reduce phone use. Ministers expect schools to be "phone-free by default" and Ofsted will be given the power to check policies on phone use during inspections, the BBC reported.

Some experts and children's charities have cautioned against the idea of a social media ban, according to BBC Technology.

The government expects to publish its response to the consultation in the summer, according to multiple news sources.