Social media age restrictions for under-16s welcomed by MP

Sir Julian Smith, MP for Skipton and Ripon, praised the Government’s decision to introduce either an age limit or functionality restrictions for users under 16, following long-running public and political debate.

A public consultation was also held, with views from parents, schools, young people, and child safety campaigners.

Sir Julian said: “I want to thank everyone who contacted me and supported efforts to push the government on protecting children from harmful social media.

“Ministers have now agreed to introduce restrictions for under-16s, which is a significant step forward.

“It is welcome news for children and parents alike, and the next challenge will be ensuring the measures are robust and effective.”

This approach will focus on limiting harmful features or raising the minimum age to protect children from online risks.

Sir Julian has continued to support stronger online protections for children, including backing a legal ban on phones in schools and supporting the proposal to raise the social media age to 16.

Concerns have repeatedly been raised about social media’s effects on mental health, wellbeing, attention, and exposure to harmful content, particularly among younger users.

The restrictions are expected to be implemented through new regulations once the consultation has concluded.