UK weighs Australia-style social media ban for children under 16


A teenager poses holding a mobile phone as law banning social media for users under 16 in Australia takes effect, in Sydney, Australia, December 10, 2025. REUTERS/Hollie Adams/File Photo

LONDON, Jan ‌20 (Reuters) - Britain is considering an Australian-style ban on social media for children under 16, with Prime ‌Minister Keir Starmer warning on Tuesday they risk being pulled into "a world of endless scrolling, ‌anxiety and comparison".

Starmer said the government was prepared to take robust action, a day after it announced it would examine whether features such as infinite scrolling and the age at which children can access platforms should be restricted and how such measures could be imposed.

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