More than 100,000 people have written to their MPs demanding an Australia-style social media ban for under-16s, as Prime Minister Keir Starmer indicated the government is considering such a move. The campaign, launched by grassroots organisation Smartphone Free Childhood, has flooded parliamentary inboxes with template emails calling for 'reasonable, age-appropriate boundaries'.
Starmer, who previously opposed a ban citing enforcement difficulties and risks of driving teenagers to the dark web, told reporters on Thursday that 'all options are on the table'. He noted the government is watching Australia's approach with interest, adding: 'We need to better protect children from social media.' Health Secretary Wes Streeting echoed concerns, describing the potential 'harm of addling the developing mind of young people' and exposure to 'sinister, extreme stuff'.
Smartphone Free Childhood co-founder Joe Ryrie said every MP had been contacted, with some receiving over 1,000 emails. 'Families from every part of the country are saying the same thing: that children need strong protections from these global platforms built to maximise attention and profit,' he said. The campaign follows controversy over Elon Musk's Grok AI tool being used to digitally undress women and children.
Pressure is mounting ahead of a House of Lords vote next week on an amendment to the children's wellbeing and schools bill that would ban under-16s from social media. If passed, the Commons would hold a binding vote. However, the Molly Rose Foundation, a youth mental health charity, argued a ban 'penalises children for tech firms’ and successive governments’ failures to act'.
A Department for Science, Innovation and Technology spokesperson said the Online Safety Act had taken 'bold steps' and that a ban is 'not our current policy', but added: 'We keep all options under review based on the evidence.'
