Elon Musk Slams UK Under-16 Social Media Ban, Says Real Goal Is To 'Track Everyone': Censorship Law Is A 'Wolf In Sheep's Clothing'
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On Monday, SpaceX (NASDAQ:SPCX) CEO Elon Musk weighed in on the U.K.’s social media ban for children under 16.
Musk Highlights Age Verification Concerns
Musk responded on X to a post discussing the U.K.’s proposed restrictions, which are set to take effect in early 2027.
The user argued that the policy is “not a ban for under 16s” but rather a restriction that could affect everyone until they verify their identity.
Musk replied, saying, "This censorship law is a wolf in sheep's clothing. The real goal is to enable the UK government to track everyone."
The ban would apply to platforms including Snap Inc.'s (NYSE:SNAP) Snapchat, TikTok, YouTube, owned by Alphabet Inc.'s (NASDAQ:GOOG) (NASDAQ:GOOGL), Meta Platforms, Inc.'s (NASDAQ:META) Instagram and Facebook and Musk's X.
The U.K. government has not yet released a final list of services that will be covered.
UK Social Media Ban Targets Child Safety
Prime Minister Keir Starmer has defended the policy, saying keeping children off social media is the most effective way to protect them online.
In addition to banning under-16s from certain social platforms, the government is considering other safeguards, including overnight curfews, restrictions on infinite scrolling features, limits on livestreaming and measures preventing strangers from contacting children.
As per the U.K. government, messaging services such as WhatsApp and Signal are not expected to be included in the ban.
Meta, YouTube And Snapchat Push Back
Meta said social media bans risk isolating teenagers from online communities and information while potentially pushing them toward unregulated services with fewer safety protections, BBC reported.
The company argued that age checks should be handled at the device level rather than requiring users to provide identification across multiple platforms.
YouTube called itself a “vital resource for young people” and warned that restrictions could drive children to less safe online services.
Snapchat similarly said many users rely on the platform to communicate with friends and family and suggested a ban could push young people elsewhere.
A TikTok spokesperson said the platform offers teen users more than 50 built-in safety and privacy protections, including private accounts. The company said it will review the government’s proposals and work constructively with officials on the issue, Deadline reported.
Meta, Snap, YouTube and TikTok did not immediately respond to Benzinga's request for comments.
Australia’s Ban Highlights Enforcement Hurdles
The U.K.’s proposal follows Australia, which introduced similar restrictions in late 2025, though implementation challenges have continued to spark debate.
France followed in January, approving restrictions for users under 15. Denmark, Greece, Spain and Ireland are also exploring age-based restrictions, with Spain and Ireland focused on under-16s and Denmark and Greece considering limits for under-15s.
Support for tougher safeguards is also growing, with 94% of Swiss respondents backing stronger protections for children and teens on social media.
Meta ranks in the 88th percentile for growth in Benzinga Edge Stock Rankings, despite continued weakness in its share price across short, medium and long-term time frames.
Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
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