UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced a social media ban for users under 16, following Australia's failed experiment. The policy requires companies like Apple and Google to implement technical solutions detecting and blocking nude images on devices within three months, or face fines and potential criminal liability.

Starmer framed this as addressing child safety concerns, targeting platforms including Snapchat, TikTok, YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, and X. Messaging services like WhatsApp and Signal are exempt, though authorities consider additional restrictions including overnight curfews and scrolling breaks for under-18s. The government claims enforcement targets tech companies, not children.

Critics argue this represents political theater rather than effective policy. Studies indicate few teenagers experience negative social media interactions, while Australia's similar ban proved largely ineffective as kids circumvented restrictions. Even child safety activist Ian Russell, who blames social media for his daughter's suicide, called the measures pointless headline-grabbing.

The policy's vagueness became apparent when Bluesky was initially omitted from the banned platforms list. After right-wing backlash claiming exemption for the supposedly centrist platform, the government reversed course. This confusion highlights how arbitrary the regulations are - Bluesky doesn't use algorithmic content recommendation like the other platforms, yet faces the same restrictions.