英国首相斯塔默拟宣布针对16岁以下青少年的社交媒体禁令Starmer Expected to Announce UK Social Media Ban for Under-16s

英国首相基尔·斯塔默预计将于周一宣布一项针对年轻青少年的社交媒体禁令。斯塔默在周日发表的一份声明中指出，如何确保儿童的上网安全是当今时代面临的最大辩论之一。他强调，这一政策选择代表了政府的立场，即选择站在全国各地的家庭一边，而不是维持现状。

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer is expected to announce a social media ban for young teenagers on Monday. In a statement released on Sunday, Starmer described how to keep children safe online as one of the biggest debates of our time. He emphasized that the policy represents a choice about whose side the government is on, declaring support for families across the country over a status quo that is not working.

斯塔默表示，他将宣布一项旨在保护儿童的“世界领先”行动。他暗示，英国即将出台的限制措施将比澳大利亚针对16岁以下儿童的社交媒体禁令更为严格。唐宁街发言人也证实，斯塔默政府一直在考虑对儿童使用社交媒体实施更严格的限制，以应对全球范围内要求遏制青少年上网时间的巨大压力。

Starmer stated that he would be announcing a "world-leading" action to protect children, suggesting that the upcoming British measures would be more prohibitive than the Australian-style ban on social media for children under 16. A Downing Street spokesperson confirmed that the government has been considering tougher limits on children's social media as governments worldwide face growing pressure to curb young people's online screen time.

据《星期日泰晤士报》报道，英国政府拟议的限制措施将比澳大利亚针对16岁以下儿童的社交媒体禁令更为严厉，因此被称为“澳大利亚+”模式。该政策的具体内容不仅限于限制主流社交媒体平台，还将进一步延伸到其他数字互动领域。具体而言，该禁令可能会对人工智能聊天机器人实施限制，并对部分游戏应用中的特定功能进行管控，以防止儿童接触到潜在的有害内容。

According to reports from The Sunday Times, the British government's proposed restrictions are set to be tougher than Australia's under-16 social media ban, earning the approach the label of "Australia plus." The specifics of the upcoming policy extend beyond standard social media platforms to target other digital interactions. The ban is expected to restrict access to interactive chatbots and limit specific features on certain gaming applications to prevent children from encountering harmful digital content.

此外，为了应对青少年过度使用电子屏幕和深夜刷手机的问题，该计划还考虑针对年龄较大的青少年实施深夜刷屏宵禁。英国《卫报》指出，首相斯塔默这一远比此前外界预期更为严厉的限制方案，很可能会引发部分国会议员和活动人士的批评。尽管如此，政府依然计划通过这一系列多维度的严厉举措，全方位收紧对青少年网络环境的监管。

Additionally, the plan aims to address excessive screen time and late-night scrolling among older teenagers by introducing a dedicated nighttime curfew. The Guardian reported that Starmer's plan for these social media restrictions is far tougher than previously briefed, a decision that is likely to draw criticism from some Members of Parliament and campaigners who oppose such sweeping digital crackdowns on youth.

在拟议的禁令出台之前，英国政府于2026年3月2日至5月26日期间专门进行了一项全国性的咨询调查。该调查旨在广泛征集公众对于儿童使用科技产品的意见，在近三个月的时间里共获得了超过11.6万份回复。调查结果显示，绝大多数家长对社交媒体给青少年带来的潜在危害表示了深切的担忧，这也为政府出台更严厉的监管政策提供了强有力的民意基础。

The upcoming policy announcement follows a comprehensive national consultation survey conducted between March 2 and May 26, which specifically solicited public opinions on children's use of technology. The consultation drew significant public engagement across the country, receiving more than 116,000 responses during the nearly three-month period. The feedback highlighted widespread concern among families regarding the impact of digital platforms on young people, providing strong public backing for the government's intervention.

根据这项咨询调查公布的具体数据，在参与回复的家长中，超过83%的人认为儿童使用社交媒体带来的风险已经远远超过了其带来的益处。此外，高达90%的受访家长明确表示支持设立16岁的最低年龄限制，以此作为青少年获准访问各类社交媒体平台的硬性门槛。

According to the survey results, an overwhelming majority of participating parents expressed deep concern over online safety, with more than 83% stating that the risks of social media use outweigh its benefits. Furthermore, 90% of the responding parents expressed explicit support for establishing a minimum age limit of 16 before children are permitted to access social media platforms, reinforcing the prime minister's proposed age threshold.

在推出这一严厉禁令的同时，首相斯塔默正面临着来自其政党内部成员要求其下台的巨大压力，党内同僚普遍对其领导能力表示不满。反对党保守党对此政策的出台时机提出了尖锐批评，称斯塔默只是因为自己的首相职位面临危机才被迫采取行动，并直言这种在职位不保时才做事的行为是令人羞耻的。此外，媒体也对这一政策的转变提出了质疑。《每日邮报》指出，斯塔默此前曾明确反对对应用程序采取打击行动，并称此次出台的禁令是其政策立场的又一次“大转弯”。

The introduction of the strict ban comes at a time when Prime Minister Keir Starmer is facing intense pressure from members of his own party to step down due to what they view as poor leadership. The opposition Conservative Party criticized the timing of the announcement, calling it shameful that it took the prime minister's job being on the line for him to finally take action. Additionally, media outlets have raised questions about his policy consistency, with the Daily Mail pointing out that Starmer had previously opposed a crackdown on apps, describing the new ban as yet another u-turn.

与此同时，工党内部的权力斗争也在加剧。据《泰晤士报》报道，大曼彻斯特市长安迪·伯纳姆正准备在周四的梅克尔菲尔德补选获胜后，立即发起对工党党魁职位的挑战。另一位潜在的领导权竞争者、前卫生大臣韦斯·斯特里廷也在媒体上发表文章，展示其在吸引全球顶尖人才方面的政策主张。这些党内动荡使得斯塔默在宣布这项备受关注的青少年社交媒体新规时，正处于极其被动的政治困境之中。

At the same time, internal party challenges are intensifying. The Times reported that the Mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham, is preparing to launch an immediate Labour leadership challenge if he wins the Makerfield by-election on Thursday. Another potential contender, Wes Streeting, has also positioned himself in the media by advocating for a global talent program. These developments highlight the severe political pressure surrounding Starmer as he attempts to roll out the high-profile digital safety policy.

英国拟推行的禁令并非孤立之举，而是融入了全球范围内加强儿童网络安全监管的整体趋势。随着各国政府面临越来越大的压力，要求遏制青少年过度使用网络，许多国家已经开始采取行动。澳大利亚已成为首个立法禁止16岁以下儿童访问主要社交媒体平台的国家，旨在应对过度上网对儿童身心健康带来的负面影响。此外，加拿大、巴西和印度尼西亚等国也已出台了相关立法，或宣布了针对儿童访问社交媒体的年龄限制及相关要求。

The proposed British ban aligns with a growing global movement to tighten online safety for children, as governments worldwide face mounting pressure to curb young people's screen time. This international push gained significant momentum after Australia became the first country to pass a law barring children under 16 from accessing major social media platforms, a measure designed to address the physical and mental health risks associated with excessive online use. In addition to Australia, countries such as Canada, Brazil, and Indonesia have already introduced legislation or announced age-based restrictions and requirements governing children's access to social media.

与此同时，还有更多国家正在积极探索类似的监管路径。法国、西班牙、丹麦、泰国和韩国等国目前正在对相关限制措施进行研究或制定。这些国家的举措表明，限制青少年使用社交媒体、保护未成年人免受网络有害内容侵害，已逐渐成为国际社会的共识。

Other nations are actively exploring similar regulatory frameworks to protect younger users. Countries including France, Spain, Denmark, Thailand, and South Korea are currently studying or developing their own approaches to restrict social media access for minors. These coordinated global efforts reflect a shared international concern over the impact of digital platforms on children and a collective shift toward stricter statutory oversight of the tech industry.