What if childhood no longer meant playgrounds and daydreams—but endless scrolling instead?
That’s the question Britain’s government is now grappling with as it considers a social media ban for children. Inspired by Australia’s recent crackdown.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer says the risks are becoming impossible to ignore.
Too many young people, he warned, are being drawn into “a world of endless scrolling, anxiety and comparison.”
And the government, he stressed, is ready to act.
Officials are reviewing whether features like infinite scrolling, weak age checks, and even the current digital age of consent should be tightened.
Ministers will also head to Australia—now the first country to ban social media for under-16s—to see what lessons can be learned.
It’s not just about screen time. Concerns have intensified as AI-generated content floods the internet.
Online Safety Tightens
This includes recent outrage over reports of chatbots producing fake sexual images of minors.
“This is a hugely complex issue,” Starmer acknowledged, “so it’s important it’s properly considered.”
Britain has already toughened rules through its Online Safety Act, cutting children’s exposure to harmful content.
But, as Technology Secretary Liz Kendall put it, “These laws were never meant to be the end point.”
So where does that leave parents—and kids? New, evidence-based screen-time guidance is coming soon.
One thing is clear: when it comes to protecting children online, no option is off the table.
