British Prime Minister Keir Starmer is expected to announce Monday a ban on social media access for children under 16, with the restrictions set to take effect in early 2027. The measure would apply to major platforms including TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, X, YouTube, Snapchat, Threads, Twitch, Kick and Reddit.

The announcement follows a public consultation period that received 116,000 responses from parents, technology companies and children. According to Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy, the vast majority of respondents supported an under-16 ban, including young people themselves. The response volume was the second-highest for any government consultation, exceeded only by a 2012 inquiry about equal marriage.

Starmer described the policy as "world-leading" action to protect children and suggested it would be more comprehensive than Australia's similar ban on social media for under-16s. According to reports, the UK measures may also include restrictions on chatbots, certain gaming app features, and curfews to prevent late-night social media use by older teenagers.

"How we keep kids safe online is one of the biggest debates of our time," Starmer said in a statement. "This is a choice about whose side we're on: families across the country, or a status quo that isn't working."

The move places Britain alongside a growing international effort to regulate children's online access. Australia, Canada, Brazil and Indonesia have introduced or announced age-based social media restrictions, while France, Spain, Denmark, Thailand and South Korea are developing similar approaches.

The U.S. Embassy in London has expressed concerns about the regulations, warning they should be narrow and not violate free speech protections. The embassy also raised concerns about potential burdens on American technology companies. Some experts question the effectiveness of such bans, with Cambridge University professor Jon Crowcroft noting technical challenges in enforcement and risks that users might migrate to less regulated platforms.