Starmer considers Australian-style social media ban

44 comments

1. Sir Keir Starmer is considering an Australian-style ban on social media for children under the age of 16.

   The [world-first law in Australia](https://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2025/12/08/australia-is-banning-behavioural-cocaine-for-teens/), aimed at protecting young people from the dangers of the internet, applies to platforms including Facebook, X, Instagram, Snapchat and TikTok.

   Sir Keir previously said he was “personally” against the blanket ban for teenagers that was introduced by Anthony Albanese, the Australian prime minister, earlier this month.

   However, The Telegraph has learnt that Downing Street is in fact [“closely monitoring” the policy](https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2024/09/13/australia-social-media-ban-for-children-uk-ministers/).

   The Telegraph understands that live discussions are under way between Sir Keir and Liz Kendall, the Technology Secretary, about introducing similar legislation if the Australian scheme were to prove effective. However, sources told The Telegraph that a decision would be a long way off.

   **Find out more:** [**https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2025/12/21/starmer-considers-australian-style-social-media-ban/?WT.mc_id=tmgoff_reddit_australian-style-social-media-ban/**](https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2025/12/21/starmer-considers-australian-style-social-media-ban/?WT.mc_id=tmgoff_reddit_australian-style-social-media-ban/)

2. Do it two tier.

3. Of course he is. He has 0 ideas of his own.

4. Good. Do it.

5. It works in our house. Once they can hack their way to it, they can use it. Sucks to be my kid.

6. Labour love banning, taxing and dictating others.

7. social media has done far, far more harm than good….unfortunately I think this ship has sailed.

8. More unworkable nanny state bollocks. That is unless we all have something like a digital ID and no access to VPNs anymore… oh.

9. Is he going to ban them from WhatsApp as well?

   That’s where all the unmoderated bullying and unsolicited dick pic stuff goes on.

10. It was inevitable the UK would follow Australia in banning SM. Does Starmer ever give the authoritarianism a rest?

    Looks like I’ll be using a VPN to post on Reddit soon (I’m over 16 but no way am I giving some random company my details).

11. Dunno why this is unpopular. As a kid growing up in the gen with unlimited access and little ideas of the dangers, this couldn’t come soon enough

12. That’ll do wonders for Labours youth vote I’m sure .

    Tbh I don’t think it’s necessarily a bad thing, but by God the up and coming voting generation certainly will. If this had been brought in 10-15 years ago, it could have worked . Now we have multiple generations who have grown used to social media as their form of interacting with one another . I’m not sure this will succeed.

13. The dystopia is already here.

    The obvious conclusion is that to access any form of social media you will need ID.

    But what ID do you 16 year old have? Passport…yes. but that’s abiut it.

    Yiu can see how digital ID will become a thing everyone has at 16. Then you login with your digital ID. And tracked with Digital ID. And you buy a fucking bus ticket with your digital id.

    The thing that fucks me right off about this is how we have the damn cheek to call out China for being repressive. But look at what we are doing. We shoukd be a bulwark against this kind of shit. Now we are leading the western world into censorship control the loss of privacy…..and we do it for safety.

    We must protect kids 100%. But the price for a generation of dead beat parents that abandon their kids to the Internet unsupervised (we’ve all seen them) are the reason…the justification they need.

14. This is all about censorship- can have people viewing non govt approved, unfiltered news.

15. If he does this after offering votes to 16 year olds then he really is stupid.

16. Good

17. What about the 60 year olds falling for unregulated Ai videos on social media, they’re just as easy targets

18. Don’t see the problem here. Social media is incredibly toxic. Even more so if you are an impressionable young person.

19. People who agree with this are genuinely stupid, this will literally be used as an excuse to infringe on people’s rights not just kids. If this passes he’s just going to go after VPNs next, it’s nanny state bullshit that proves labour should not be in charge of another government indefinitely.

20. Is getting Reform elected in the next GE in Labour’s Manifesto? What is going through their heads!?

21. The UK public should consider a dictator ban

22. Good. Should ban it completely. It’s destroying attention spans, spreading hate and turning people into morons. Completely unregulated and out of control.

23. Daily Telegraph makes up story based on no inside information whatsoever.

    Of course politicians in other countries are going to look on with interest to see what happens and what are the effects of their social media ban for children. It’s their job.

    But this story is drivel based on idle speculation. The Daily Telegraph is trying to generate news, when its job is to report it.

24. Maybe want to reconsider the 16yr old voting then 😂

25. Ok but can we ban the over 60s too?

26. Social media should be banned for kids . It’s an absolute menace and a hive of misinformation and shyte

27. Fascist

28. Let’s do it, maybe the adhd will go away if there’s no instant dopamine hits available.

29. To the surprise of no one

30. Doesn’t surprise me. The gambling industry in Australia were behind the ban and the gambling industry here backs Starmer

31. Anecdotally the teenagers with and without social media in my family are night and day 

32. As a GenX’er, I will not be providing ID to prove I am over 16.

33. If they do this they’d get rid of the online safety act right?

34. I would let them have it but every boomer relative has to comment on every status, as embarrassingly as possible

    So you get someone trying to be a roadman, and their gran says “is that a peace sign? Don’t need a balaclava in this weather”

35. I taught my kids to think critically and how to be careful on the internet and any media including books.

    My youngest just told me they had to explain online scams to a young adult.

36. When will the government put CCTV in my bedroom?

37. Ngl I have said it for years. Under 16s should not be on social media. It’s a huge cause of youth mental health issues. However how it would be policed and enforced would be very difficult. I expect it to be as leaky as the current porn blocking. While they are at it they can ban TikTok, insta, Snapchat etc too.

38. He’s speed running a Labour exodus in all upcoming elections

39. Think we need to start with the older people who are watching AI videos and absolutely will vote based on them…

40. First 16 year olds, then the rest of us.

    Can’t be having people spread the wrong ideas can we.

    Government approved communication is all that will be allowed.

41. I love the prospect of having to verify my age via either government ID or full facial scan for every single social media site!

    Totally no way this’ll go wrong, be leaked, or otherwise be cause for massive government overreach. No way!

42. No one is using any social media in our household at all. Our kids never ask for any and we blocked all.
    What really needs regulating is contents on YouTube. Even kids YouTube.

43. Can the parents not just decide what they do and don’t give their children access to? I’d be far more worried about people in their 60s believing the AI slop that’s about, not the 13 year olds messaging their mates.

44. Do it.

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