Keir Starmer says UK will ‘have to act’ to curb addictive features of social media

Keir Starmer: ‘This is the platforms trying to get children to stay on for longer, to get addicted. I can’t see that there’s a case for that.’ Photograph: WPA/Getty Images

Keir Starmer has backed banning addictive social media features in his strongest intervention yet on curbs that could be placed on tech companies, saying the features “shouldn’t be permitted”.

The prime minister said the government was “going to have to act” on the algorithms that hook young people and children to social media, such as scrolling or “streaks” that encourage daily usage of apps.