LONDON (AP) — Britain will ban children under the age of 16 from using a range of social media apps, including Snapchat, TikTok, and YouTube, to protect them from harmful content and excessive screen time, Prime Minister Keir Starmer said Monday.

The ban, which is expected to take effect early next year, makes the UK part of a growing global movement to tighten online safety for children.

Australia, Canada, Brazil and Indonesia have introduced legislation or announced age-based restrictions or requirements governing children's access to social media. France, Spain, Denmark, Thailand, and South Korea are among other countries studying or developing similar approaches.