Imagine a world in which children grow up free from social media. The days spent relentlessly doom-scrolling, gaming and risking exposure to harmful material would be gone. The young would instead spend their time embracing healthy pursuits such as sport, art and music, reading books and visiting museums.

Many parents would welcome such a world, but know it is a fantasy. To create such an environment would be to turn the clock back more than 20 years. But this is what the British government hopes to achieve as momentum builds globally for tighter restrictions on children’s access to social media in a bid to curb their addictive screen time and protect them from threats to their mental health.

Britain claims measures due to come into force next year will go further than anywhere else in the world, billing them as a “watershed”.

At the heart of the proposals will be a ban on children under 16 using popular social media platforms. It closely resembles the groundbreaking shutout introduced in Australia in December. Age verification will be required for Snapchat, TikTok, YouTube, Instagram, Facebook and X.

But the restrictions will go further, also enforcing “world-leading blocks on harmful functions” such as live-streaming and the ability to have contact with strangers. This will apply to under 16s and be made the default setting for 17 and 18-year-olds. It will extend beyond social media to other platforms, including gaming sites.

Curfews and breaks to limit constant scrolling are also being considered for children under 18.