Labour's Social Media Ban Consultation Sparks Privacy Fears Over Data Sharing
Campaigners and parents have raised significant concerns that participants in Labour's national consultation on banning social media for under-16s could have their personal information shared with major technology companies. The consultation, titled 'Growing up in the online world: a national consultation', includes small print indicating that participants' data may be shared with Google and Meta—the very corporations that many campaigners want to see more strictly regulated.
Privacy Policy Controversy
The government's consultation requires parents, carers, and young people aged 10 to 21 to accept the privacy policy of Savanta, the official survey platform contractor. This policy explicitly states: 'We may share your data with the below suppliers to help us improve our services and targeting: Google, LinkedIn [and] Meta.' This revelation has sparked alarm among child protection advocates and concerned families.
Parents have urgently called on the Labour government to amend the consultation's terms to guarantee that personal data will not be shared with these technology giants. However, government officials have insisted that this represents a standard privacy policy that only collects basic technical information, such as IP addresses, rather than personal responses to the consultation questions.
Political Context and Legislative Moves
This controversy emerges as MPs prepare to debate a potential social media ban for under-16s next week. The House of Lords recently supported an amendment to the Children's Wellbeing and Schools Bill that would implement such a ban. In contrast, Labour has proposed a more flexible approach that would grant the government powers to introduce measures like curfews or time limits instead of an outright prohibition.
Lord Nash, the Conservative peer who championed the Lords amendment for a social media ban, described the data sharing revelation as 'deeply concerning.' He argued that the consultation appears to benefit big tech companies by providing cover for delays while they organize opposition to meaningful regulatory action.
Campaigner Reactions and Public Concerns
Harry Amies, founder of the online child protection parents group Unplug.Scot, which discovered the problematic small print, has demanded that the government suspend the consultation until the privacy issues are resolved. He emphasized that the potential sharing of both parents' and children's personal data with Meta and Google without explicit consent or knowledge represents a serious breach of trust.
Meanwhile, twenty-three bereaved parents have urged MPs to support an Australia-style social media ban for under-16s. In a powerful statement, they argued that parents cannot effectively regulate billion-dollar technology companies from their homes. The group includes Esther Ghey, whose 16-year-old daughter Brianna was murdered by two teenagers, and Ellen Roome, who believes her 14-year-old son Jools Sweeney died while attempting an online challenge in 2022.
Government Response and Technical Clarifications
A spokesperson for the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) dismissed the privacy concerns as 'utterly absurd.' They clarified that the reference in Savanta's privacy policy relates to standard website practices where platforms like Facebook, Instagram, or X might collect basic technical data if users are logged in while completing the survey. The spokesperson stressed that this has no connection to the personal views or details that participants choose to share in their consultation responses.
The government maintains that the consultation aims to prepare children for rapid technological change and develop appropriate online safety policies. Savanta, the survey platform contractor, was approached for comment but has not yet provided additional statements regarding the privacy policy concerns.
