The UK Government has announced it will introduce restrictions on social media for children under 16, breaking a deadlock over calls for an Australia-style ban. Education Minister Olivia Bailey told the House of Commons that there will be “some form of age or functionality restrictions” implemented. This pledge came after the House of Lords voted for the fourth time to ban all under-16s from platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and Snapchat, increasing pressure on ministers.
Government’s Position on Social Media Restrictions
The Government had previously resisted demands for an outright ban, stating it would first assess the outcome of a consultation currently underway. However, Minister Bailey confirmed that some form of restrictions will be introduced regardless of the consultation’s findings. Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson emphasized the need for measures that can “stand the test of time,” expressing concerns about young people’s exposure to harmful content, excessive screen time, and addictive features that keep them engaged.
Phillipson stated: “Like everybody, I’m concerned about what young people are exposed to online. I’m concerned about the amount of time that young people spend online. I’m concerned about some of the addictive features and the way that it hooks young people and keeps them there. So we will act on that. Absolutely we will act on that. But if we’re to take action, and we will, then we need to get it right. I don’t want to be coming back here in a year or two’s time saying ‘actually what we’ve put forward hasn’t been effective and we need to look again at this.’ We need to design something that stands the test of time, that commands the confidence of parents and campaigners and genuinely works.”
Statutory Requirement and Consultation
Minister Bailey informed the Commons: “The Government has said repeatedly that it is a question of how we act, not if, but to put beyond any doubt, we are placing a clear statutory requirement that the Secretary of State must rather than may, act following the consultation. This brings forward regulations without pre-empting the consultation’s outcomes, and does not ignore the tens of thousands of parents and children who have already engaged with us. Let us be clear, the status quo cannot continue. We are consulting on the mechanism, and that is the right thing to do. But we are clear that under any outcome, we will impose some form of age or functionality restrictions for children under 16. I can also confirm that consideration of restrictions such as curfews will be in addition, not instead of this.”
Reactions from Peers and Campaigners
Tory peer Lord Nash, who has proposed amendments for an outright ban similar to Australia’s, welcomed the commitment: “This commitment to raising the age limit to 16 for harmful social media features is a huge step forward for our children’s safety online. Parents, teachers, health professionals, senior police officers and many others told the Government to listen. They told the Government repeatedly, and in great numbers, that it had to act on social media’s unrestricted access to our young people, to prevent the catastrophic harms that it is inflicting on a generation.” He added: “We will now all turn our attention – together – to making sure this is implemented as soon as possible in the best way to protect our children.” Lord Nash praised bereaved parents who campaigned for change, noting: “They didn’t have to do this. They did it so that no other family would have to live through what they have lived through, and they have ensured that as a result every child in the country will be safer because of their work. I thank them for it.”
Support from Opposition
The commitment was also welcomed by Conservative shadow education secretary Laura Trott, who said: “We now have a commitment on the floor of the House, from the Government, that they will impose an age restriction for children under 16, and this is in addition to, not instead of, any curfews. This is a huge step forward in keeping children safe and supporting parents in their fight against screens destroying children’s lives.”
Background and Broader Context
The Government had already initiated a consultation on access to technology for under-16s, considering measures such as age restrictions on social media, gaming sites, and AI chatbots. A proposed ban has been supported by campaigners, including Esther Ghey, whose 16-year-old daughter Brianna was murdered by two teenagers in 2023. Two weeks ago, Prime Minister Keir Starmer told tech bosses from X, Meta, Snap, TikTok, and Google (which owns YouTube) that changes were urgently needed. He stated: “Things can’t go on like this, they must change because right now social media is putting our children at risk. In a world in which children are protected, even if that means access is restricted, that is preferable to a world where harm is the price of participation.”
