Social media ban for teenagers ‘will occur’ says ex-schools chief in dramatic vote
Lord Nash inflicted a defeat on the Government as peers voted for a ban by 261 votes to 150, telling the House of Lords: ‘This is going to happen. The only question is when’
The Government is under pressure to ban social media for under-16s(Image: Western Mail)
Keir Starmer faces fresh pressure to ban social media for under-16s after peers backed the dramatic move.
MPs must now consider the measure after the House of Lords backed it by 261 votes to 150. It follows campaigning by high-profile figures including Peter Andre and Hugh Grant, who warn about the dangers platforms pose to youngster
Supporters of an Australian-style ban argue parents are in “an impossible position”. Earlier this week Technology Secretary Liz Kendall announced a three-month consultation, which will consider the advantages and disadvantages of a ban.
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Other steps being looked at include overnight curfews and actions to prevent “doom-scrolling”. It will report back in the summer.
But former Tory schools minister Lord Nash, who has spearheaded calls for a ban, inflicted a defeat on the Government in the upper chamber. He argued the late concession simply represented more delay.
Lord Nash said: “The Government’s consultation is, in my view, unnecessary, misconceived and clearly a last-minute attempt to kick this can down the road.” Proposing an amendment to the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill, the Conservative peer said: “Many teenagers are spending long hours – five, six, seven or more a day – on social media.
“The evidence is now overwhelming as to the damage that this is causing. We have long passed the point of correlation or causation.
“There is now so much evidence from across the world that it is clear that by every measure, health, cognitive ability, educational attainment, crime, economic productivity, children are being harmed.”
He added: “This is going to happen. The only question is when. We have the opportunity to do it now in this Bill, and every day which passes, more damage is being done to children. We must act now.”
Paediatrician Baroness Cass said: “The first duty of Government is not to consult, it is to act.” The independent crossbencher added: “If we think children may be in danger, we act first and we ask questions later.”
Filmmaker and children’s rights campaigner Baroness Kidron said: “A consultation is the playground of the tech lobbyist and inaction is the most powerful tool in politics.” She added: “The Government has shown it will only act under pressure, not principle.”
Tory peer Baroness Bertin, who led an independent review of pornography published last year, branded the business model of social media firms as “sort-of borderline criminal, but certainly very toxic and it is so sophisticated”.
The former Downing Street press secretary said: “They have already made off like bandits with our children’s innocence.” Former Playschool presenter and Liberal Democrat peer Baroness Benjamin, who is vice-president of the children’s charity Barnardo’s, said: “Now is the time for us to act decisively because each minute we wait more damage is done to our children’s wellbeing.”
But fellow Liberal Democrat Lord Clement-Jones argued a blanket ban “risks protecting children in a sterile digital environment until their 16th birthday, then suddenly flooding them with harmful content without having developed a digital literacy to cope”.
Speaking after the vote, Lord Nash said: “Tonight, peers put our children’s future first. “This vote begins the process of stopping the catastrophic harm that social media is inflicting on a generation.”
Online safety campaigner Ellen Roome, who believes her 14-year-old son Jools died while attempting an online challenge, told the Press Association she was “really delighted” with the vote. She added: “Everybody’s campaigned really hard for it.”
Hollywood star Hugh Grant was one of the signatories in a letter to Mr Starmer, Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch and Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey, backing the amendment. The letter was also signed by Esther Ghey, whose 16-year-old daughter Brianna was murdered by two teenagers in 2023.
Ms Ghey has previously said her daughter had a “social media addiction” and “desperately wanted to be TikTok famous”, putting her “in constant fear about who Brianna might be speaking to online”. Other signatories included singer Peter Andre and actress Sophie Winkleman, while the letter was also backed by Parentkind and Mumsnet.
