Children aged under 16 could be banned from social media under plans due to be unveiled by the government within weeks.

Downing Street has drawn up proposals for tougher age restrictions on apps such as Facebook and WhatsApp. A consultation on protecting children online will seek parents’ views on when children should be allowed to “access” social media websites, with an age range provided between 13 and 16. Most platforms allow children as young as 13 to sign up as members.

The consultation will also propose banning under-16s from buying smartphones. Under-18s are not allowed to take out phone contracts without parental consent, but can buy pay-as-you-go phones. The proposed changes would prevent this for under-16s, but not stop parents from buying their children phones.

While no decision will be taken before the consultation is complete, sources said some in government were in favour of adopting the strongest approach possible by raising the age limit to 16. This would also ensure consistency with the proposed age limits on smartphones.

The government will also seek views on whether extra safeguards, enabling parents to monitor and control access to social media sites, should be installed until children reach a certain age.

The plans have been worked up with Michelle Donelan, the science, innovation and technology secretary, and are expected to be published before the end of the month, one source said. Will Tanner, Sunak’s deputy chief of staff, is also said to be heavily involved.

The proposals will put Rishi Sunak and his administration on a collision course with Mark Zuckerberg’s Meta, the parent company of Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp.

This week Meta faced widespread criticism after it lowered the minimum age to use WhatsApp from 16 to 13 in the UK and EU. It is understood that the decision was taken without consulting the UK government and has angered senior ministers.

Sir Nick Clegg, the former Liberal Democrat leader and deputy prime minister who is president of global affairs at Meta, is due to be briefed on the government’s plans for new age restrictions in the coming days.

The UK government’s proposals follow similar initiatives launched in the United States to try to curb the harmful effects of social media use among young teenagers and to hand parents more control.

In March, Florida passed a law banning children under 14 from owning their own social media accounts, with 14 to 16-year-olds only allowed to if they have obtained parental consent. States including Arkansas, California, Louisiana, Ohio and Utah have pushed similar bills to regulate tech platforms.

It comes after the murder of Brianna Ghey, a teenager killed by two 15-year-olds who watched violent content online. Her mother, Esther Ghey, is campaigning for under-16s to be banned from accessing social media.

Last month a poll found that 58 per cent of parents want the government to ban smartphones for under-16s. However, the latest initiative is likely to be met with resistance from MPs on the right of the Conservative Party, who have also railed against Sunak’s plans to phase out smoking among younger generations.

The prime minister’s policy will see the minimum age for buying tobacco raised every year, meaning anyone born after 2009 will be legally prohibited from doing so.

Tories are likely to be given a free vote when MPs debate the legislation for the first time next week. However, despite backbench opposition, it is likely to pass due to backing by the Labour Party.

A Department for Science, Innovation and Technology spokesman said: “We do not comment on speculation. Our commitment to making the UK the safest place for children to be online is unwavering, as evidenced by our world-leading Online Safety Act.”