Elon Musk has intensified his criticism of the United Kingdom's proposed social media ban for children under 16, responding sharply to French President Emmanuel Macron after the French leader praised the initiative. The exchange unfolded on X, where Macron wrote, "Thanks for joining the movement," to which Musk replied, "Of a government surveillance state." This comes as UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer pushes forward with plans to block minors from accessing major social media platforms.
Elon Musk calls UK a 'police state'
Reacting to the announcement on X, Elon Musk wrote, "UK is a police state." In a separate post, the billionaire said, "This censorship law is a wolf in sheep's clothing. The real goal is to enable the UK government to track everyone." Musk's comments reflect his ongoing opposition to what he perceives as government overreach in digital regulation.
What the UK's social media ban includes
The proposed rules would prevent children under 16 from accessing major social media platforms, including TikTok, Instagram, Snapchat, Facebook, X, and YouTube. The UK government stated that encrypted messaging services such as WhatsApp and Signal will be exempt, allowing children to continue communicating with family and friends. The measures also introduce restrictions on certain online gaming and live-streaming features that enable minors to interact with strangers online.
UK PM Keir Starmer says children need stronger online protection
Announcing the policy, Keir Starmer said the government was acting to protect children from growing online risks. "We are banning social media access for under 16s. These days kids must find their feet in a world where technology intrudes into every area of their life," Starmer wrote on X. "I just can't let that go on anymore. So we're giving children their childhoods back," he added. During a press conference, Starmer compared online interactions with strangers to real-world situations, arguing that parents would not normally allow children to communicate freely with unknown adults.
