Keir Starmer Pledges Rapid Social Media Crackdown for Minors

Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced that the United Kingdom will introduce a crackdown on social media for children under 16 within weeks. The move follows the closure of the "Growing Up In The Online World" consultation, which garnered over 81,000 responses. While Starmer promised a "game changer" policy, he has stopped short of committing to a total ban, despite pressure from bereaved parents and political figures including former Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner.

Proposed measures may focus on outlawing addictive design features such as infinite scrolling, autoplay, personalized algorithms, and push notifications. This targeted approach follows reports that blanket bans in other jurisdictions are frequently circumvented by minors. However, former Health Secretary Wes Streeting has pushed for an outright prohibition, comparing the tactics of Big Tech to the tobacco industry.

The government is currently analyzing consultation data using an AI system and consulting with tech companies like Meta, which suggests age enforcement should occur at the device operating system level. Technology Secretary Liz Kendall stated a final response will be decided before the end of the year. This legislative push mirrors similar efforts in Canada and Manitoba, following a total ban implemented in Australia in December.