The UK government is consulting on possible social media restrictions for under-16s, including a ban, app feature limits, and screen time curfews, with a final decision expected this summer [1, 2, 3].
Wes Streeting, former UK health secretary, called for a ban, comparing social media’s addictiveness and health risks to tobacco. He said, “Social media should be treated like tobacco – it’s extremely addictive, bad for our health, and big tech is borrowing the big tobacco playbook to avoid regulation. We’ve got to give our children their childhood back” [1]. He also accused Big Tech of knowingly designing addictive products targeting children and criticized Prime Minister Keir Starmer as “behind the curve on this issue” [2].
Leading British medical bodies, including the Academy of Medical Royal Colleges, submitted reports urging action. They warn social media risks to children rank alongside smoking and seatbelt neglect in harm [4, 3]. Among 132 UK doctors surveyed, over half reported at least one suspected social media-related health harm case weekly, with over one-third seeing multiple cases weekly [3].
UK Science Minister Liz Kendall said the government will act "无论是禁止16岁以下青少年使用社交媒体，还是限制关键功能和特性," emphasizing a firm stance on protecting young people online [3].
Some government officials express concern about possible unintended effects of a ban. They worry it could push children to unregulated dark web platforms or impair their digital skills, leading to resistance within government [1]. However, Streeting and medical experts strongly advocate a ban as the necessary first step toward stronger regulation [2, 3].
The UK consultation, launched for 12 weeks, closes on 26 May 2026 [1, 2, 4, 3]. Officials are expected to announce their formal response and plans later this summer. The UK is looking to follow Australia, which passed a similar ban on under-16 social media access in 2025 [1, 3].
