When will social media be banned for under-16s?
What the British government has said about when its ban for apps including Facebook and Instagram will come in
Sir Keir Starmer has said he wants to see a ban on young people sending and receiving sexually explicit images, with the UK set to announce a ban on social media for under-16s.
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The prime minister said at London Tech Week that platforms must stop children from sending or receiving naked images of themselves.
He is also poised to announce a ban on social media for under-16s within the next ten days, having met with grieving families who have lost youngsters after a turn of events shaped by online consumption.
“I have talked to tech companies and to families. I have to say, meeting the families of those that have lost children was incredibly moving,” Sir Keir told LBC’s Political Editor Natasha Clark.
He added: “The message to the tech companies was very simple, which is, nobody's getting a free pass here. Things are going to change. I was very clear with them. That's why I wanted to see them. I'm absolutely clear."
The UK would be among the first countries in the world to adopt a ban on children using social media and the absolute first to call on a ban of explicit images being sent.
But when will the social media ban take effect? Here's everything you need to know.
Read also: Nine in 10 parents back social media ban for children, says Technology Secretary
When will social media be banned for under-16s in the UK?
A formal ban is unlikely to be confirmed soon, but an announcement is likely to be made within the next 10 days, according to government sources.
The decision comes after growing pressure for the government to make changes to how children use social media. Australia, Brazil and Indonesia have all already put in place strict age-related restrictions for social media.
What does a social media ban look like for the UK?
It means that anybody born after January 1, 2009, will not be allowed to make a social media account.
However, the final details have not been announced or discussed with the public yet. This includes which social media sites will be banned as part of the new rules for under-16s.
No confirmation or exact timescale has been stated either, with the government not having said anything concrete beyond its consultation into the proposal.
A government spokesperson said: “As is standard practice, we do not engage in speculation around hypothetical announcements.
“We've been clear that we are determined to act quickly, but we will do so in a way that is effective, enforceable and genuinely keeps children safe.
"As we've previously said, we will set out the Government's response by the summer, and importantly we already have the powers to act within months rather than years.”