LONDON, June 15 (Reuters) - British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said he would ban social media sites for those under 16 and impose restrictions on gaming and live streaming platforms.

Starmer said on Monday that he would introduce radical changes to social media regulations to better protect minors during their use of the internet.

"It is clear to me that a complete ban is the right option," he said, adding that although it will not be easy, the government has the ability to counter the power of Big Tech companies.

Britain has increasingly tightened its approach to technology companies in the past few years, urging or forcing them to impose age verification measures and adjust algorithms, and even recently banning minors from sharing indecent photos taken with mobile phones.

Australia was the first country to ban social media for those under the age of 16, preventing them in December from using platforms such as TikTok, YouTube, Instagram and Facebook.

Subsequently, a number of countries announced that they were seeking to regulate access to social media amid growing concerns about its impact on the health and safety of minors.