Former health secretary Wes Streeting has called for a ban on under-16s accessing certain social media platforms, comparing the industry to tobacco. Speaking publicly for the first time since leaving government, Streeting argued that large technology companies are trying to dodge regulations and that a ban is needed to protect children's health.
Streeting said: 'Social media should be treated like tobacco – it's extremely addictive, bad for our health, and big tech is borrowing the big tobacco playbook to avoid regulation. We've got to give our children their childhood back.' He added that a ban for under-16s 'must be the start, not the end'.
The intervention comes as the government closes its consultation on age limits for social media platforms, with ministers expected to make a final decision within weeks. The consultation, which has been running for 12 weeks, considers following the Australian example of setting a strict age limit on access. Other measures under consideration include curbing personalised algorithms, imposing mandatory screen curfews, and restricting features such as livestreaming and infinite scrolling.
Streeting's views are closely watched as he is seen as a potential successor to Prime Minister Keir Starmer. He quit the government earlier this month in protest against Starmer's leadership. While in cabinet, Streeting was a strong advocate for a ban but faced resistance from colleagues concerned about driving children to the dark web or leaving them ill-equipped for technology use at 16.
A report by the Academy of Medical Royal Colleges, submitted to the consultation, warned that social media and smartphone use 'ranks alongside smoking and wearing seatbelts in cars as a unifying force for the medical profession'. Half of the 454 doctors surveyed said they treat a child at least once a week whose mental distress or physical harm is linked to online content.
A coalition of children's organisations, including the NSPCC and the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health, has said age limits alone are not enough, calling for a targeted ban on advertising, profiling, and manipulative design features. A group of bereaved parents will meet the prime minister on Tuesday to share their views, including both supporters and opponents of a ban.
