- The UK government, under Prime Minister Keir Starmer, has announced a proposed ban that will prevent children under 16 from creating or maintaining accounts on major social media platforms.
- This legislation is designed to limit children's exposure to addictive algorithms, harmful content, and excessive screen time, with Starmer stating that social media is contributing to children's unhappiness.
- The ban will apply to platforms including TikTok, Snapchat, YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, and X, requiring social media companies to implement robust age-verification systems, though messaging services like WhatsApp and Signal will be exempt.
- The Bear actor Jeremy Allen White has endorsed the government's decision, calling it a "great" step forward and emphasising the addictive nature of social media, advocating for clearer boundaries and a more "analog approach" to life.
- Expected to be enforced by Ofcom from spring 2027, this move positions the UK alongside other countries such as Australia, the US, and Norway, which are also implementing measures to restrict children's access to social media.
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