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UK to ban under-16s from ‘high risk’ social media apps

The Guardian UK Friday 12 June 2026, 17:08 UTC By Dan Milmo, Aisha Down and Alexandra Topping 1 min read
Key Points

Keir Starmer to set out plans on Monday but there are fears a decision to ban some platforms but not others will lead to legal challengesTeenagers under the age of 16 are to be banned from accessing “high-risk” social media apps while safer platforms will be subjected to restrictions, under a sweeping government crackdown to be announced next week. Under-18s will also be banned from using romantic or sexual AI chatbots following a consultation on keeping children safe online.

Keir Starmer to set out plans on Monday but there are fears a decision to ban some platforms but not others will lead to legal challenges

Teenagers under the age of 16 are to be banned from accessing “high-risk” social media apps while safer platforms will be subjected to restrictions, under a sweeping government crackdown to be announced next week.

Under-18s will also be banned from using romantic or sexual AI chatbots following a consultation on keeping children safe online.

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UK (LOCATION) Keir Starmer (PERSON)
Originally published by The Guardian UK Read original →

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