An exclusive poll for the Daily Mirror has revealed that two-thirds of the public support a social media ban for under 16s, intensifying pressure on Prime Minister Keir Starmer to tackle online harms. The Deltapoll survey of 3,353 adults found that 66% back such a ban, up from 64% when the Mirror conducted a similar poll in December.
Demographic Differences in Support
Women are slightly more likely to endorse the ban, with 68% in favour compared to 63% of men. Among political affiliations, 67% of 2024 Labour voters support the measure, while 77% of Conservative voters and 58% of Reform UK voters back it. Notably, Reform UK leader Nigel Farage has opposed online safety laws for children.
Government Consultation Underway
The government has launched a consultation on various online safety measures, including an outright ban for under 16s, overnight curfews, or app caps. It is also considering strengthening age verification and restricting children's access to VPNs. Over 60,000 responses have been received, with the consultation concluding in the summer. Education Minister Olivia Bailey pledged "some form of age or functionality restrictions" amid pressure from the House of Lords.
Parental and Campaigner Reactions
Bereaved mother Ellen Roome, whose son Julian "Jools" Sweeney died in 2022, urged the government to act decisively. She said: "As a mother who lost my 14-year-old son Jools, I have seen first-hand the devastating consequences of an online world that is not designed with children's safety at its core. Children are currently allowed access to highly addictive platforms and harmful content without the safeguards we would expect in any other area of life. This is why I support raising the age for access to harmful social media platforms to 16. It is not about punishing children or stopping them socialising. It is about giving them time to develop safely and protecting them during some of the most vulnerable years of their lives."
However, Andy Burrows, chief executive of the Molly Rose Foundation, warned that a ban could offer a "false sense of security". He stated: "Parents have been let down time and again by tech companies that put profit before safety and successive Government's failure to prioritise protecting children online. It's no surprise that parents rightly want action but we must go further than a blanket ban that will offer them a false sense of safety. Instead decisive new laws must force tech companies to fix their products and make child safety and wellbeing the price for doing business in the UK."
International Context and Challenges
Australia's ban for under 16s came into force in December, with early research showing that 61% of 12- to 15-year-olds still access restricted platforms. In the UK, children circumvent age checks using fake birthdays, shared accounts, or altered photos. Ofcom has ordered social media firms to implement robust age verification, such as credit card checks or facial recognition, under the Online Safety Act.
A government spokesman said: "We've been clear that we will take action to make sure children have a healthy relationship with social media. This isn't a question of whether, but how we will act. Our consultation is looking at everything from age limits and safer design features to a social media ban, as well as pilots with hundreds of UK families, to ensure we take the best approach, based on the latest evidence. We know parents and children want us to act fast, and through the Children's Wellbeing and Schools Act we have taken new legal powers to do exactly that - so we can move quickly once the consultation concludes."
