Experts issue warning against UK's under-16 social media ban as they detail how plan could backfire

British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer's plan to ban social media for under-16s has been criticized by experts.

The UK government announced on Monday (June 15) that a 'total ban' on social media use for those under the age of 16 will be introduced by spring 2027.

In the announcement, Starmer claimed social media is having a 'dangerous' impact on children’s happiness and mental health, though the move has been slammed by a number of the platforms.

Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, X, TikTok, and YouTube will be all be banned for under-16s, though messaging services like WhatsApp and Signal will still be accessible.

Despite backing from many, some tech experts are warning the ban could push under-16s to unregulated parts of the internet, which they say could lead to children suffering data breaches.

The likes of Facebook, Instagram and Snapchat will all be banned (Samuel Boivin/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

As per openDemocracy, Alan Woodward, professor of computer science and cybersecurity at the University of Surrey in the UK, said: "It’s very difficult to know what the actual ban would look like."

While Jasleen Chaggar the Media Storm podcast: "I don’t think the government really knows where they’re going with a lot of this stuff.

"They want an outcome, but they haven’t actually figured out the technical solution to get there. So it’s like, ‘tech companies, you need to figure this out, or we’re just going to outsource this to ID companies and get them to figure out the details.’”

The British government is said to be looking at ways to limit under 18s social media use too, as they look into potential curfews.

Starmer said during a press conference: ""This is not something I do lightly, and I will not present it as cost-free, as if social media has brought no benefits to young people, because clearly that is wrong.

Starmer has announced a ban on social media for under-16s (Toby Shepheard - WPA Pool/Getty Images)

"All I’ve ever wanted for my own children, hand on heart, is for them to be happy and for them to be safe, and I think that’s what any parent wants, but I ask the question now: Do we truly believe that social media creates a happy environment for our children?"

Children under the age of 16 will be unable to create a new account, while those already on the social media sites being banned will see their profile deactivated.

The British prime minister added to press: "Every parent can see it with their own eyes. Social media is making children unhappy."