Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.Jump to contentIndependentSwipe for next articleIndependent Bulletin homepageDownload our appAllNewsSportCultureLifestyleMaryam Zakir-Hussain & Nicole Wootton-CaneMonday 15 June 2026 08:33 BSTSir Keir Starmer has officially confirmed his government will ban social media for all children under the age of 16 (AFP/Getty)Sir Keir Starmer has officially confirmed his government will ban social media for all children under the age of 16.The prime minister announced the measure at a Downing Street press conference, describing it as “a big step, real change for our children and our future.”This announcement follows a government consultation which received over 116,000 responses, with 90 per cent of parents supporting a minimum age of 16 for social media access.The Molly Rose Foundation, set up in memory of Molly Russell, said a social media ban “will fail to tackle fundamental product safety risks issues and leaves parents with a false sense of safety”.Andy Burrows, chief executive of the foundation, said: “A majority of children will continue to use high-risk sites that will have no incentive to implement robust protections.”In fullSocial media ban latest: Starmer sets out plans for under-16s online crackdown in reforms of ‘failing system’Thank you for registeringPlease refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in