Starmer says government remains ‘open-minded’ about social media ban for under-16s – UK politics live

The Guardian - World NewsCenter-LeftEN 8 min read 100% complete by Andrew SparrowFebruary 16, 2026 at 11:45 AM

AI Summary

long article 8 min

Keir Starmer stated the UK government intends to tighten regulations regarding teens' social media use, potentially including a ban for those under 16, similar to Australia's approach. While "open-minded" about a complete ban, he also considers a more restrictive, content-based approach. Starmer emphasized the need for swift action following the consultation, contrasting it with the lengthy process of the Online Safety Act. He also addressed concerns regarding a Labour Together probe into journalists, stating a Cabinet Office investigation is warranted and that he was unaware of the situation. The government aims to implement changes quickly, regardless of the consultation's outcome.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

Liz Kendall ×240% Australia ×240% Labour Together ×250% Cabinet Office ×250% Online Safety Act 60% Keir Starmer ×1090%

Keywords

social media ban 100% under-16s 90% government 70% starmer 70% consultation 60% online safety act 60% restrictive content 50% labour together 40% journalists 40%

Sentiment Analysis

Neutral

Score: 0.10

Source Transparency

Source

The Guardian - World News

Political Lean

Center-Left (-0.40)

Far LeftCenterFar Right

Classification Confidence

90%

This article was automatically classified using rule-based analysis. The political bias score ranges from -1 (far left) to +1 (far right).

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social media ban under-16s government starmer consultation online safety act restrictive content labour together journalists

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