Pakistan, June 15 -- British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has announced a nationwide ban on social media access for children under 16, calling the move a necessary step to protect young people from online harm, bullying and digital addiction. The legislation is expected to pass through Parliament before the end of the year and will take effect in early 2027, marking one of the toughest online safety measures introduced by a major Western nation.

The restrictions will apply to several leading platforms, including TikTok, Instagram, Snapchat, Facebook, X, Threads, YouTube and Reddit. In addition, the government plans to block under-16s from accessing romantic or sexual AI chatbots and limit communication with strangers through gaming servic...