Under-16s to be banned from social media by next spring, Starmer says
www.bbc.co.uk
Watch live as Technology Secretary Liz Kendall delivers a statement to the Commons on the ban.

Under-16s will be banned from using social media, Prime Minister Keir Starmer has announced.

Starmer says social media is making children unhappy, making it easier for bullies to abuse children, and is “designed to be addictive”. A ban would give children more time, security, and more freedom to grow up - as well as more opportunities, he adds.

“That is all any parent wants. They want to know that Britain will be better for their children, that they will get a fair chance,” the PM says in a speech in Downing Street.

Starmer adds that the government is “not prepared to compromise” on the safety and happiness of children - and that includes in the regulation and enforcement of this ban. He says the government has listened to and learned from countries like Australia, where a similar ban has already been introduced.

  • minorkeys@sh.itjust.worksEnglish
    40·
    28 days ago

    You’re right, and it’s failure will be the excuse to deprive us all of more of our privacy and autonomy.

    • kurikai@lemmy.worldEnglish
      323·
      28 days ago

      you mean we have privacy now? you know these social media companies already gave info on you even if you dont sign up.

      its good if social media companies cant get kids into doomscrolling

      • Noja@sopuli.xyzEnglish
        14·
        28 days ago

        They don’t have a copy of my passport and a video of me holding it. They also don’t have a 3D scan of my face, which is what all these age verification companies want from you. They literally use AI while you are filming yourself to 3D scan your face for the Palantir database.

          • Noja@sopuli.xyzEnglish
            8·
            28 days ago

            If I can still access your profile an hour from now and it’s not deleted, you’re full of shit.

          • UltraGiGaGigantic@lemmy.mlEnglish
            3·
            27 days ago

            You were in the background of a picture uploaded to the net. You are shadow profiled. This problem doesn’t go away because you’ve turned away from it to bury your head in the sand.

      • edwardbear@lemmy.worldEnglish
        4·
        28 days ago

        You have the means, ways and most importantly, it is still legal to obtain privacy, though, right?

        • minorkeys@sh.itjust.worksEnglish
          1·
          27 days ago

          For now. We’ve already seen behaviors become culturally suspect simply because they became uncommon. Not too far from vilification from there, then fear mongering, then criminalizing. I worry the value of us not having privacy is too profitable to withstand the effort to remove it.