The Manx government says it is monitoring UK proposals to ban under-16s from accessing social media platforms.

But it says any plans for the Isle of Man to follow suit will be for the next administration.

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced in a landmark move this week that a social media ban for under-16s would come into force in spring 2027.

It follows pressure from campaigners to make the online world safer for young people. The Westminster government said it will allow ‘children to be given back their childhoods’.

The ban will include platforms like Snapchat, TikTok, YouTube, Instagram, Facebook and X.

A Department of Home Affairs spokesperson said: ‘We're monitoring the UK's approach to implementation at this stage and it will be a matter for the new administration.’

The UK government plans to use the same model for a social media ban as Australia.

But it will go further than a blanket ban for under-16s. High-risk features including livestreaming and strangers being able to contact children will also be restricted for under‑16s on other online services like gaming.

Messaging services like WhatsApp and Signal will not be included in the ban.

Regulator Ofcom will be setting out in the coming months different options for ensuring age checks on platforms are accurate, robust, reliable and fair.

Many adults won’t need to prove their age to access age-restricted social media services where they’ve already got an account that has been open more than 16 years, has a credit card connected to it or is linked to an email address that’s age-verified in other ways.

Critics of the ban say it hasn’t worked in Australia, where many children are still finding ways to access platforms. They say it could force children into less regulated online spaces and also take the pressure off tech companies to clean up their act.