The Government said it would consult on options including raising the digital age of consent and restricting potentially addictive social media features
Ministers are exploring the possibility of introducing an Australian-style social media ban for youngsters under 16 across the UK.
The consultation will examine various measures, including raising the digital age of consent and curbing potentially habit-forming app features like “streaks” and “infinite scrolling”.
Pressure has been mounting on the Prime Minister to increase the minimum age requirement for social media access, with Downing Street indicating it’s receptive to the proposal, reports the Manchester Evening News..
This week, the House of Lords is set to vote on an amendment to the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill that would compel social media companies to prevent under-16s from accessing their platforms within 12 months of the legislation being passed.
The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) confirmed it will take swift action regarding children’s social media usage, including instructing Ofsted to scrutinise schools’ mobile phone policies and their effectiveness during routine inspections.
Additionally, the Government plans to issue screen time recommendations for parents with children between five and 16 years old. Guidance aimed at parents of under-fives is scheduled for release in April.
As part of the consultation process, ministers will travel to Australia, where a ban on social media for under-16s was introduced in December.
The Government intends to gather feedback from parents and young people, with a formal response expected during the summer months, according to DSIT.
However, Lord Nash, a former schools minister, criticised the consultation as merely another postponement. “This announcement offers nothing for the hundreds of thousands of parents, teachers, medical professionals, senior police officers, national security experts and parliamentarians of all parties who have been calling for a raising of the age limit for social media,” said the Conservative peer, who is proposing the Lords amendment.
“The Prime Minister must be in no doubt about the strength of feeling on this. The longer we delay, the more children we fail. I continue to urge all peers to back my amendment on Wednesday which would begin to end the catastrophic harm being done to a generation.”
Lord Nash’s amendment has already garnered the backing of the National Education Union (NEU) and 61 Labour MPs, who have penned a letter to the Prime Minister demanding “urgent action”.
Kemi Badenoch has previously stated that the Conservative Party would implement a ban for under-16s if it held power.
Esther Ghey, whose 16 year old daughter Brianna was tragically killed by two other teenagers in 2023, voiced her support for the ban on Monday, describing it as “a vital step in protecting children online”.
In a letter addressed to party leaders Sir Keir Starmer, Kemi Badenoch and Sir Ed Davey, Ms Ghey revealed her daughter had struggled with a “social media addiction” and had a desperate desire to achieve TikTok fame, which left her “in constant fear about who Brianna might be speaking to online”.
Technology Secretary Liz Kendall stated: “Technology has huge potential to create jobs, transform public services, and improve lives. But we will only seize on that potential if people know they and their children are safe online.
“We are determined to ensure technology enriches children’s lives, not harms them – and to give every child the childhood they deserve.”
Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson declared: “We have been clear that mobile phones have no place in our schools but now we’re going further through tougher guidance and stronger enforcement. Mobile phones have no place in schools. No ifs, no buts.”
Conservative leader Mrs Badenoch criticised the consultation as “more dither and delay” from Labour.
“The Prime Minister is trying to copy an announcement that the Conservatives made a week ago, and still not getting it right,” she said.
“The harm social media is doing to children is undeniable, and the Conservatives would get children off these adult platforms altogether.
“By contrast, this is yet more dither and delay from Starmer and a Labour Party that have entirely run out of ideas.”
Labour MP for Lowestoft Jess Asato described the consultation as a “good first step”, adding: “Parents and carers across the country are calling for bold action now and it’s crucial the consultation does not simply kick this issue into the long grass.”
Liberal Democrat education spokeswoman Munira Wilson warned there was “no time to waste in protecting our children from social media giants” and expressed concern that “this consultation risks kicking the can down the road yet again”.
The party has been pushing for cinema-style age classifications to shield youngsters from “toxic algorithms and harmful content while giving them some of the benefits of being online”.
Paul Whiteman, general secretary at school leaders’ union the NAHT, said: “We welcome the news that the Government will take its time to properly consider a ban on social media for under-16s.
“It’s important that we learn from other countries and consider the unintended consequences as well as the advantages of such an approach.
“The vast majority of schools already have restrictions on the use of mobile phones on school sites.
“The Government’s suggestion that Ofsted should be ‘policing’ school policies is deeply unhelpful and misguided.
“School leaders need support from Government, not the threat of heavy-handed inspection.”
Pepe Di’Iasio, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, said: “Ofsted’s involvement in policing these bans is all well and good but it would be more helpful for the Government to provide schools with resources to support the safe and secure storage of mobile phones.
“Most schools operate a policy in which students are asked to keep their phones in bags and out of sight – but this, of course, means that teachers constantly have to be alert to pupils breaking the rules.
“There are products on the market which can be used to safely store mobile phones so that they cannot be used.
“However, this costs money and many schools are, frankly, completely cash-strapped.”
Ian Russell, who established the Molly Rose Foundation following his 14 year old daughter Molly’s suicide after viewing harmful content on social media, stated: “In the last few days, parents have been presented with a false choice between a toxic status quo and a social media ban that risks unintended consequences and a false sense of security for parents.
“The Prime Minister must now commit to strengthening the Online Safety Act to address the harmful and addictive design choices that are blighting a generation of children, and to make clear in law that protecting digital wellbeing is now the price of admission to the UK market.”
Lynn Perry, chief executive of Barnardo’s, commented: “Making the internet safer for children must be the Government’s priority – so we welcome this consultation into possible measures and the impact they will have.
“We also welcome the announcement that young people will be part of the consultation as it’s vital their voices are heard on an issue that affects them so profoundly.”
