UK Considers Australia-Style Social Media Ban for Children

A high school student poses with his mobile phone showing his social media applications in Melbourne, Australia, November 28, 2024.

The UK government is weighing a series of measures to strengthen online safety for children, including the possibility of an Australia-style ban on social media for users below a certain age and tighter guidance on mobile phone use in schools.

In a statement issued on Monday, the government said it would review international evidence on a range of proposals, including whether restricting children’s access to social media would be effective and how such a ban could be enforced if adopted.

Ministers are set to visit Australia, which last month became the first country to prohibit social media use for children under 16, to study how the policy is being implemented and enforced.

While no specific age limit has been proposed, the government said it is exploring restrictions “for children under a certain age”, alongside stronger age-verification systems and a review of whether the current digital age of consent remains appropriate.

The proposals come amid growing global concern over the impact of social media and excessive screen time on children’s development and mental health. Those concerns have intensified with the rapid growth of AI-generated content online, raising fresh questions about children’s exposure to harmful material.

The government said it is already moving toward an outright ban on AI-based nudification tools and is working to prevent children from creating, sharing or viewing nude images on their devices.

Officials are also considering curbing features that encourage addictive or compulsive use of social media platforms, such as infinite scrolling.

The recently implemented Online Safety Act has already expanded age checks online, with the proportion of children encountering such checks rising to 47% from 30%, while visits to pornography websites have fallen by around a third, according to government data.

Technology Secretary Liz Kendall said the new measures reflect ongoing parental concerns. “These laws were never intended to be the final step,” she said, adding that the government is prepared to take further action to protect children online.