Key Takeaways
- UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has promised a “game‑changer” social‑media policy to protect children, following a government consultation and meetings with bereaved families.
- Australia’s world‑first ban on under‑16s accessing social media took effect in December 2025, deactivating millions of accounts but facing reports of circumvention.
- The European Union is monitoring Australia’s outcome and preparing stricter rules, while individual European states are adopting varied age limits and consent requirements.
- Asian nations such as India, China, Indonesia and Malaysia are moving toward age‑based restrictions or “minor mode” features, and the Americas see mixed progress, with Utah’s under‑18 ban and Brazil’s supervised‑account law.
- Across all regions, regulators are targeting addictive design (infinite scroll, autoplay), stronger age‑verification, and tighter controls on AI chatbots to reduce harm to minors.
UK Government’s Pledge to Protect Children Online
Sir Keir Starmer vowed to introduce a “game changer” social‑media policy that could go beyond Australia’s ban on children under 16 accessing certain platforms. Speaking outside 10 Downing Street after meeting families of children who died after viewing harmful online content, he declared that action is inevitable and must be decisive. Starmer said the government will act on advice regarding a mandatory minimum age for social‑media use, signalling a shift from voluntary measures to enforceable regulation.
Findings from the UK Social Media Consultation
A three‑month government consultation launched in March examined whether the UK should follow Australia’s under‑16 ban, curb addictive features such as infinite scrolling and autoplay, and impose tighter restrictions on AI chatbots and age‑verification systems. The consultation closed on the same day Starmer made his pledge, and officials said they would formally respond “in the summer, acting swiftly on the evidence gathered.” The process aimed to gather expert, industry, and public input before shaping legislation.
Internal Party Pressure on Starmer
Starmer’s leadership faces mounting pressure from within his own Labour Party, with more than 70 MPs publicly calling for his resignation. Critics argue that his response to online harms has been too slow or insufficient, adding political urgency to the social‑media reform agenda. The dissent highlights the challenge of balancing policy ambition with party unity while addressing public concern over child safety.
Platform‑Level Responses: Roblox’s New Child Accounts
In anticipation of tighter rules, Roblox announced it will launch restricted accounts for children and teenagers two months after the UK government placed the platform on notice. The move mirrors similar steps taken elsewhere to comply with emerging age‑based regulations and demonstrates how major platforms are pre‑emptively adjusting their offerings to mitigate regulatory risk.
Political Voices Advocating Tighter Regulation
Former health secretary Wes Streeting, seen as a potential rival to Starmer, urged the UK to treat social media like tobacco, describing it as extremely addictive and harmful to health. He argued that a ban on under‑16s should be merely the start, not the end, and called for comprehensive measures that mirror tobacco‑control strategies to curb big tech’s influence.
Australia’s World‑First Under‑16 Social Media Ban
On 10 December 2025, Australia’s ban preventing children under 16 from holding or accessing social‑media accounts came into force. Within two days, over 4.7 million accounts on platforms such as Instagram, TikTok and Snapchat were deactivated. Prior to the ban, more than 1.3 million Australians aged 8‑15 used at least one social‑media service, indicating a substantial immediate impact.
Challenges and Critiques of the Australian Ban
Despite early success, Australian parents have reported that some platforms fail to keep under‑16s off their services, labelling the ban “ineffective” in practice. The eSafety Commissioner noted that affected companies are making “meaningful attempts” to enforce the rules, yet teenagers have found ways to circumvent restrictions and retain access. Communications Minister Anika Wells called the deactivation figures a “huge achievement” while acknowledging imperfections.
EU Moves Toward Stronger Child Protections
The European Union said it is watching Australia’s outcome and will learn from its impact. On 12 May, Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced that member states would seek stronger protections for children, opening the door to social‑media age limits for teenagers. The EU plans to target addictive and harmful design practices in its forthcoming Digital Fairness Act and has convened an expert panel to advise on implementation.
National Approaches Across European States
Individual European countries are pursuing varied strategies. Denmark confirmed a ban on social media for children under 15, with parental consent allowing access from age 13. France’s National Assembly voted to ban under‑15s, though the Senate approved a two‑tiered system that may delay a blanket ban until 2027. Greece plans a ban for under‑15s effective January 2027, while Italy requires parental consent for under‑14s. Norway, Poland and Slovenia are preparing laws to restrict use for under‑15s, and Spain intends to ban under‑16s while mandating age‑verification systems for certain platforms.
Asian Nations Introducing Age‑Based Restrictions
In Asia, India’s chief economic adviser labelled social‑media firms “predatory” and called for age restrictions; Karnataka state subsequently banned social media for under‑16s, though an implementation date remains pending. China’s cyberspace regulator introduced a “minor mode” program that enforces device‑level, app‑specific screen‑time limits based on age. Indonesia and Malaysia have signaled plans to ban under‑16s on “high‑risk” platforms, citing concerns over cyberbullying and scams.
Legislative Trends in the United States and Latin America
In the United States, bipartisan efforts such as the Kids Online Safety Act aim to require platforms to exercise reasonable care in designing features that could harm minors; the bill remains in committee. Utah became the first state to ban users under 18 from accessing platforms like Instagram, TikTok and Facebook without parental consent. In Latin America, Brazil’s Digital Statute of Children and Adolescents, effective March 2025, requires under‑16 users to link accounts to a legal guardian, bans addictive features like infinite scrolling and autoplay, and obliges platforms to implement robust age‑verification beyond self‑declaration.
What Lies Ahead for Global Child‑Online Safety Policies
The confluence of political pledges, parliamentary consultations, industry adjustments, and international examples points toward a tightening regulatory landscape for children’s social‑media use worldwide. While early results from Australia’s ban show promise, persistent workarounds underscore the need for comprehensive strategies that combine age limits, design‑feature curbs, robust verification, and oversight of emerging technologies such as AI chatbots. How governments balance free‑speech concerns, technological innovation, and child welfare will shape the next phase of online safety legislation across continents.