UK could ban millions from social media as they consider groundbreaking new law
It's currently undergoing a consultation process
Featured Image Credit: Pakorn Supajitsoontorn / Getty
Certain governments around the world are placing an increased emphasis on the security and safety of children on the internet.
With this, the United Kingdom could soon implement a groundbreaking and controversial law that would prevent millions from accessing their favorite apps.
While the open-access nature of the World Wide Web is one of its strongest tools, as it theoretically provides everything to anyone, no matter who or where they are, it naturally comes with its own concerns.
Anyone who has grown up since the internet's creation has likely seen things that they probably shouldn't have at the age they did, whether it be through their own actions or being shown it by others.
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Websites have had age checks for years, but they're about as secure as an unlocked door. It was only recently that certain countries started to implement strict age verification barriers that require users to provide ID or have their faces checked in order to access specific sites.
Now, as reported by the BBC, the UK government appears to be looking into an even more aggressive measure to 'protect' young people online, as it's currently consulting on a law that would ban social media for everyone under the age of 16.
It wouldn't be the first of its kind, as Australia implemented an identical law back in December 2025 with some rather concerning results. This could set off a chain reaction that would prompt other nations to follow suit.
According to the government, these rules would be intended to "protect young people's wellbeing," with fears from some not just regarding the content that young people can see, but how being online limits their interaction with the real world.
Catherine McKinnell, former school standards minister and MP for Newcastle upon Tyne North, argued that many parents currently "felt unprepared to deal with the pace at which social media has changed," noting that while social media has its benefits for young people, that doesn't mean children should be "bombarded with information sent to you by algorithms devised to create money by tech companies."
One recent court case against TikTok reflects this, as five British families have sued the social media juggernaut following the tragic deaths of their children, which were all linked to dangerous challenges that were allegedly promoted and amplified by the platform's algorithm.
It wouldn't just be social media that this ban would be targeting, as it would also give Ofsted, England's education inspector, the power to check policies regarding phone use in schools. The expectation is that education centers would be 'phone-free by default'.
Technology Secretary Liz Kendall has indicated that a decision regarding the law would be made following "a swift three-month consultation," where the views of parents, young people, and 'civil society' will all be considered.
"We are determined to ensure technology enriches children's lives, not harms them," Kendall illustrated, "And to give every child the childhood they deserve."
This prospective ban would affect more than just young people, as anyone over the age limit would likely need to subject themselves to the same checks that are already present after the Online Safety Act was implemented.
For many, that is something they'd rather avoid, as it requires handing over their data to companies and governments at a time when concerns surrounding online privacy have never been greater.