Prime Minister Keir Starmer has pledged action on young people’s access to social media in “months, not years”, while indicating that a complete ban for under-16s is not definite. Speaking at a community hub in Putney, he described the issue as nuanced and noted concerns from charities such as the NSPCC that a ban could push children to “even darker places”.
Starmer said the government would “definitely want to look at the evidence” gathered during a three-month consultation, adding that there are “powerful arguments on both sides”. He cited conversations with 15- and 16-year-olds who said they rely on social media for news, warning that a ban could cut them off from current affairs.
Downing Street has announced plans to fast-track any recommended changes by tabling amendments to two bills already in parliament: the children’s wellbeing and schools bill, and the crime and policing bill. The amendments would create powers for ministers to implement policies, with the children’s bill covering social media and the crime bill addressing AI chatbots. Starmer said this would allow the government to “act within months, not years”.
Starmer emphasised the urgency of the issue, stating that “the status quo … is not good enough” and that “nobody can make the argument that things can be left as they are”. He also expressed concern about features like auto-scrolling that keep children “constantly glued” to devices. The Prime Minister’s official spokesperson confirmed that both houses of parliament would have to approve secondary legislation to deliver the policies.
In a Substack post, Starmer expanded on his concerns, arguing that social media has evolved from simple platforms into something that “is quietly harming our children”. He criticised the inaction of previous Conservative governments, saying the current situation is “not protective of children”.
