Keir Starmer announces social media ban for under-16s in address to the nation

'A full ban is the right choice'

Speaking this morning, the PM announced the major ban which follows in the footsteps of other nations taking action on social media.

Only in December last year, Australia decided to introduce a similar ban while Denmark have also said they would ban social media for under-15s.

Starmer announced today that under-16s will be stopped from accessing all major social media apps.

He said: "This is not something I do lightly, and I will not present it as cost-free, as if social media has brought no benefits to young people, because clearly that is wrong.

"But government is always about choices, and it's clear to me that a full ban is the right choice."

Starmer added that as a parent himself he knows "the fears that we all feel" around social media.

He said: "But I ask the question now: do we truly believe that social media creates a happy environment for our children? Do we truly believe that it's a place where they can feel safe?

"I don't think I even need to answer those questions, do I. Every parent can see it with their own eyes.

"Social media is making children unhappy. It's making it easier for bullies to harass and abuse them, and it could even be harming their mental health. Exposing them to content that is dangerous because that's what grabs the attention. It's designed to be addictive."

Which sites are expected to be banned?

While the government is yet to announce an official list of apps and sites that are set to be banned, we do have a good idea of which ones access will be restricted on.

TikTok

The big one, the one social media site to rule them all - TikTok.

If you're unaware of what TikTok is, congratulations on moving into your new rock home that you've been living under because this app is everywhere.

Many young adults and teenagers spend hours a day on TikTok which has become synonymous with the term 'doom-scrolling' - spending excessive time scrolling through social media watching short videos that can total up to hours of time passed.

Like many of these apps, TikTok is optimised to keep your attention with the easy-swipe action making watching successive content super easy - those with an extreme penchant for 'brain-rot' might even have the 'auto-scroll' function turned on for handsfree doom-scrolling.

YouTube

Probably the most universally well known site set to be banned, YouTube is a controversial one due to its nature as not really being a social media site.

While the video-sharing platform does have YouTube shorts which are similar to short form content on social media sites, it is not considered by most to be one.

However, there remains the functions for communication on the platform through comments and DMs.

It is thought YouTube Kids may be exempt.

Snapchat

Another big-hitter, Snapchat is different from the other sites as a direct-messaging app which is used by almost a billion worldwide users.

The app is notable for its emphasis on sending images to contacts often with captions attached.

Instagram

Owned by Meta, Instagram makes up one half of the Facebook-Instagram duo which has a firm grip on a large share of the social media landscape.

Starting off as originally an image-sharing site, Instagram now allows for long and short video content, direct messaging, and a number of other features.

X (formerly Twitter)

Maybe the least surprising platform on this list, X has long been seen as one of the less-well moderated social media sites, even to this day having less safety measures than others.

Equally, since Elon Musk's takeover of the app, X has become a breeding ground for the far-right and disinformation (although of course all social media has this issue), to an extent not seen on other sites.

Reddit

Reddit offers a more alternative experience to traditional social media pages, operating with more annonymonity with users who rarely use their own name and who discuss matters in communities known as 'subreddits'.

While fond with many of its users for its community feel, the no-names and often private communities can lead to more illicit content being shared on the site.

Facebook

The grandad of social media, everyone knows about Facebook whether they want to or not.

Maybe one more used by the older generations these days, the site has seen a slight resurgence with younger people these days.

Twitch and Kick

Twitch and Kick stand out on this list as unique because of not being traditional social media sites like Instagram and Facebook.

The platforms are livestreaming platforms where people watch videos in real time, often engaging through comments.

Twitch has more of a focus on gaming while Kick sees more vlogging-style videos

Twitch also has a direct messaging function known as 'whispers'.

Threads

Meta's own attempt at creating a Twitter-style platform without the cesspit of content which comes with it.

While, probably the least-used site on this list, its integrated links with Instagram still make it a popular site.