Why is the UK launching an ‘Australia plus’ social media ban and how will it work?
Summary
The UK government is planning an “Australia-plus” ban that would stop children under 16 from using major social media apps. This move aims to protect children from harmful online content by restricting access and certain features such as chatting with adults and livestreaming.Key Facts
- The ban targets social media apps like TikTok, Instagram, Snapchat, Facebook, and others.
- Currently, social media platforms set their own minimum age at 13, but the UK has no official government age limit.
- The UK is considering age verification methods to enforce the ban, while trying to avoid invasive checks like requiring government IDs.
- Under-16 users won’t be allowed to access some features, and 16- and 17-year-olds may have time limits on social media use.
- The ban would also block under-18s from using romantic or sexual AI chatbots.
- The policy is motivated by concerns about online safety and follows a similar ban already introduced in Australia.
- Australian data shows many under-16s bypassed the ban, but millions of accounts were removed or restricted.
- The UK government received more than 116,000 responses during the consultation on online safety.
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