Britain will ban under-16s from using a range of social media apps, Prime Minister Keir Starmer said Monday, calling it “a big moment for our country.” Starmer told a news conference that he will fight back if technology companies resist the move, intended to protect children from harmful content and excessive screen time.

Global Movement to Tighten Online Safety

The move makes the U.K. part of a growing global movement to tighten online safety for children. Australia, Canada, Brazil, and Indonesia have introduced legislation or announced age-based restrictions or requirements for children’s access to social media. France, Spain, Denmark, Thailand, and South Korea are among others studying or developing similar approaches.

Starmer said the U.K. measures “possibly go a bit further” than Australia’s under-16s ban. The ban will take effect early next year and will also act to prevent strangers from contacting children on gaming and livestreaming platforms.

The decision follows a public comment period in which the government got 116,000 responses from parents, the tech industry, and children. The vast majority of respondents wanted an under-16 ban, including youths, said Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy, who added that a ban should be part of other measures.

Some experts, however, have expressed concerns that the ban may not be effective and could drive children to use worse sites. Jon Crowcroft, a communications systems professor at the University of Cambridge, said people supporting social bans are well-meaning but probably misguided, and changes could prevent children from accessing sites they need.

Original reporting: Dallas TX News (HLL/CB) — read the source article.