Consultation on social media ban for under-16s to begin
Source: BBC Technology
A public consultation on whether to ban social media for under‑16s is being launched on Monday, inviting young people and their parents or guardians to submit comments ahead of a government decision on the proposal.
The debate over a minimum age for social media use has been sparked by Australia’s decision last year to ban children from a range of platforms, including Instagram, Snapchat, YouTube and TikTok.
Technology Secretary Liz Kendall said the consultation would help establish how young people could “thrive in an age of rapid technological change”.
Proposed interventions
The government is seeking views on a range of measures, not only an outright ban:
- Requiring platforms to switch off addictive features such as infinite scrolling and autoplay.
- Introducing mandatory overnight curfews to help children sleep better.
- Deciding whether children should be able to use AI chat‑bots without restriction.
- Strengthening age‑verification enforcement.
Alongside the consultation, pilots will test some of these interventions to provide “real‑world evidence” of their effectiveness.
“The path to a good life is a great childhood, one full of love, learning and play. That applies just as much to the online world as it does to the real one,” said Kendall.
“We know parents everywhere are grappling with how much screen time their children should have, when they should give them a phone, what they are seeing online, and the impact all of this is having. This is why we’re asking children and parents to take part in this landmark consultation.”
Consultation process
- The consultation runs until 26 May, after which the government plans to respond “in the summer”.
- It is open to “everyone with a view”: parents, carers, young people, professionals who work with children, civil‑society organisations, academics and industry.
- Separate versions of the questionnaire are available for young people and for parents/carers to improve accessibility.
- An academic panel will assess the growing body of evidence, including insights from Australia’s recent experience.
- Community events involving MPs, influencers and schools are being organised to encourage a wider public debate.
Reactions
Political parties
- Labour: In an open letter to the prime minister, Labour MPs said “successive governments” have done “too little to protect young people from… unregulated, addictive social media platforms”.
- Conservatives: Leader Kemi Badenoch has previously said her party would introduce an under‑16s social media ban if in power.
- Liberal Democrats: Education spokeswoman Munira Wilson warned that holding a consultation “risked kicking the can down the road yet again”.
Charities and experts
- Molly Rose Foundation welcomed the consultation, calling it a “crucial opportunity to decisively strengthen online safety laws and stand up for children and families”.
- NSPCC and other charities cautioned that a full ban could have “unintended consequences”, urging stronger enforcement of existing child‑safety rules instead. They warned that a ban might create a false sense of safety and push children toward other, potentially riskier, online spaces.
- Sonia Livingstone, professor of social psychology at the London School of Economics, told the BBC: “What everyone wants to see is better safety from Big Tech companies, and then children could express themselves and connect online as they want to.”
International context
- In February, the EU told TikTok it must change its “addictive design” or face heavy fines, a move the Chinese‑owned platform said it would challenge.
- Australia’s recent ban of under‑16s from major platforms continues to shape the global conversation.
Further reading
