Online safety campaigners have urged Prime Minister Keir Starmer to block under-16s from social media apps that fail to meet strict safety standards, rather than implementing a blanket ban similar to Australia's. In a letter to Starmer, the NSPCC, Molly Rose Foundation, and Smartphone Free Childhood called for platforms to be barred from offering 'risky' features such as infinite scrolling, disappearing messages, and push notifications to teenagers.
The letter argues that the debate should not be binary between banning or not banning social media. Instead, platforms should only be allowed to serve under-16s if they can demonstrate their services are safe. This contrasts with Australia's approach, which restricts access based on social interaction and posting capabilities rather than safety criteria.
The appeal comes a week before the UK government's consultation on new online safety measures closes. The consultation includes potential under-16 bans and restrictions on features like livestreaming and location sharing. The government has pledged to act following the consultation.
Campaigners expect apps to be vetted before under-16s can use them, with new features undergoing safety checks. The Online Safety Act, overseen by Ofcom, provides the legal framework. The letter aims to unify campaigner positions: the Molly Rose Foundation and NSPCC have stopped short of calling for a formal age limit, warning of a safety 'cliff edge,' while Smartphone Free Childhood supports restricting access for under-16s.
Joe Ryrie, director of Smartphone Free Childhood, said the alignment across civil society signifies that access to children should be a privilege that must be earned. Andy Burrows, chief executive of the Molly Rose Foundation, added that safe app design should be a precondition for tech firms operating in the UK. A government spokesperson stated that ministers share the determination to keep children safe online and that it is not a question of whether to act, but how.
