The House of Lords has voted in favour of an Australian-style social media ban for under-16s, dealing a blow to Prime Minister Keir Starmer's government. Peers rejected the government's proposal for a public consultation by 266 votes to 141.
Conservative former minister Lord Nash, who introduced the amendment to the children's wellbeing and schools bill, said the vote sent an 'unambiguous message' to the government. 'Hollow promises and half-measures are not enough,' he stated, noting that this was the second time peers had backed such a ban after MPs voted against it earlier this month.
The vote comes shortly after a Los Angeles jury found Meta and YouTube liable for designing addictive products that harmed a young woman's mental health, awarding $6 million in damages. Lord Nash referenced the case, arguing that platforms are deliberately addictive and that MPs must act now to raise the age limit.
More than 20 bereaved parents watched from the gallery, including George and Areti Nicolaou, who held a photo of their son Christoforos, who died by suicide after joining an online forum. Crossbench peer Lady Cass criticised the government for taking a 'very narrow view' and failing to understand the wider harms of social media on children.
