X owner Elon Musk has branded the UK’s planned social media ban as being ‘indefensible’, while Facebook owner Meta and YouTube have criticised the move too
Social media bosses have blasted plans to ban under-16s from sites like TikTok, Instagram and X as ministers admitted the crackdown is no “silver bullet”.
The Government wants to stop children from using the platforms from next Spring, with firms forced to introduce tougher age checks. But Technology Secretary Liz Kendall admitted many youngsters will still find ways around the rules.
She said: “I’ve never thought that the ban will be a complete silver bullet.” But she insisted it would bring a “significant change in behaviour” and help parents by making it clear children should not be using social media before 16.
The plans have sparked a furious backlash from tech firms. Elon Musk branded the proposals “indefensible” and claimed they were a form of censorship, while Facebook owner Meta warned the move could push teenagers towards unregulated sites with fewer protections. YouTube also questioned whether the ban would work, saying children could be driven to “less safe services”.
Ms Kendall vowed that the UK’s use of “highly effective age-verification measures” would make the ban stronger than the Australian system.
But she added: “I have no doubt children who are currently on social media, for whom it’s an integral part of their lives, will try and get around the ban, and many will succeed. But we do think we need to draw this line in the sand, give greater clarity to parents and greater protections for children.”
The restrictions are expected to cover TikTok, Snapchat, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube and X, although messaging apps such as WhatsApp and Signal would be exempt. Ministers are also looking at introducing overnight social media curfews for children and forcing platforms to interrupt endless scrolling. Further details are expected next month.
Supporters say the measures are needed to protect young people from harmful content online. But critics argue a ban alone will not solve the problem, with campaigners warning dangerous material can still be pushed to users through recommendation algorithms.