A significant split has opened within the UK Cabinet over the contentious proposal to ban children under the age of 16 from using social media platforms. The debate has intensified following Australia's decision to implement such a ban last month, putting ministers under growing pressure to take decisive action.
Ministerial Clash Over Australian-Style Ban
Business Secretary Peter Kyle has publicly stated that an Australian-style prohibition is "not the right way to go." In a contrasting view, Health Secretary Wes Streeting has expressed interest in exploring a ban, citing serious concerns about the impact of social media on children's mental and physical health. This division at the top of government highlights the complex challenge of regulating technology for young people.
Pressure Mounts Following Tory Pledge
The ministerial comments come in the wake of a commitment from Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch, who pledged to ban under-16s from accessing platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and Snapchat. A spokesperson for Downing Street confirmed that ministers are closely monitoring the Australian scheme, which notably fines companies for breaches rather than penalising children or their parents.
Despite this scrutiny, Mr Kyle told Times Radio that the Government is not currently looking at instituting a ban. Mr Streeting, however, struck a more cautionary tone, remarking, "We're allowing a lot of unsupervised use of technology," suggesting a need for greater safeguards.
Public Opinion in Focus
As the political debate rages, the Daily Mail is asking readers to have their say in a new poll on whether they back a social media ban for under-16s. This follows yesterday's poll on military action against the Iranian regime, where 76% of respondents said 'no' and 24% voted 'yes'. The result underscores a potentially wary public mood on state intervention, which may now be tested in the realm of digital policy.
The outcome of this internal government struggle will have profound implications for millions of families across the country, as well as for the tech giants dominating the online landscape. With child safety and digital freedoms at stake, the path the UK chooses will be closely watched around the world.
