UK unveils social media ban for users under 16

- The UK government announced plans to ban social media for children under 16, including measures like age verification and parental consent requirements. - This is part of the UK's broader Online Safety Act, a landmark law passed in 2023 that imposes a "duty of care" on platforms to protect users from harmful content. - The move goes further than most countries: France and some US states have pursued similar age restrictions, but a nationwide under-16 ban at this scale would be unprecedented. - Key players include Ofcom (the UK regulator enforcing the rules), tech giants like Meta and TikTok (which face compliance costs and potential fines), and children's safety advocates who argue current safeguards are inadequate. - Critics worry about privacy risks from mandatory age verification, free expression impacts, and whether the ban is practically enforceable without driving kids to less regulated corners of the internet.