LONDON: The United Kingdom has announced a ban on social media for children under the age of 16 years, Prime Minister Keir Starmer said on Monday.
In a video message posted on X, he said that the decision comes in consultation with thousands of parents after it was seen how social media addiction has impacted several parts of their life, especially their mental health.
"These days, kids have to find their feet in a world that changes so quickly, where technology intrudes into every area of their lives. And we know that harms them. The response from parents in the consultation has been absolutely clear. Thousands of parents say their children are addicted to social media. It can leave them trapped in a cycle of endless scrolling that displaces play, sleep, and time with the family. It can harm their mental health. Parents need our support on this. That is why today the government has decided to ban social media access for children under 16."
Calling it a big step for the country, he said that the government has not rushed into the decision and looked carefully at the evidence along with learning from other countries which are taking similar steps.
"This decision has been resisted and it will face resistance from some of the most powerful companies in the world. But we will take them on and we will win because the need for action could not be any clearer. Social media is making our children unhappy and unsafe," Starmer said.
UK joins the list of countries which in recent times have proposed and several of them enacted laws concerning the usage of social media among minors. (ANI)
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