"Social media makes children unhappy. It facilitates bullying and abuse," declared the leader of the Labour government, who defended the measure as "an important step" for the country.

Starmer specified that he wants a law to this effect to be passed "before Christmas," so that the ban comes into force "at the beginning of next year, probably around spring" of 2027.

The measure drew an immediate reaction from YouTube, which warned that banning social media risks "pushing children (...) toward anonymous and less safe services," according to a statement sent to AFP.

"For more than ten years we have invested in age-appropriate experiences, supervised by experts, as well as default protections for teenagers, and we will continue to do so," said a spokesperson for the Google platform, which claims to be "an essential resource for young people, teachers, and parents."

Several countries —including Australia, a pioneer in the matter, and Indonesia— have already implemented similar bans. Canada announced on Thursday its intention to do the same, while a bill to restrict access for minors under 15 is being studied in the French Parliament.