Should the UK ban social media for under-16s? Take our ballot and have your say
Plans to limit smartphone use for kids such as a social media ban for under 16s or overnight app curfews could be published within months under plans unveiled by Keir Starmer
Keir Starmer has faced mounting pressure to introduce a curb on social media for under 16s(Image: AFP via Getty Images)
Plans to limit smartphone use for kids such as a social media ban for under 16s or overnight app curfews could be published within months.
Tech Secretary Liz Kendall told The Mirror this weekend that ministers would act quickly to give “children their childhood back and prepare them for the future”. The Government will next month launch a consultation on measures to keep children safe online, which will last three months.
It comes after Keir Starmer faced mounting pressure to introduce a social media ban for under 16s after Australia did so last month. Spain became the latest European country earlier in February to make plans for a social media ban, following similar proposals in France, Denmark and Austria.
More than 60 MPs and some bereaved parents have urged the Prime Minister to introduce a similar ban in the UK.
But other bereaved families and experts have warned a ban could bring “unintended consequences” and drive kids into other unregulated spaces on the internet, like chatrooms or gaming platforms.
The consultation into new social media protections will launch in March and be guided by what parents and children say they want to see. Mr Starmer has also set out plans to close a legal loophole to protect children from harmful interactions with AI chatbots.
Kids could be prevented from using virtual private networks (VPNs) and restrictions could be put in place to stop doom scrolling. The Government will set aside new legal powers in the upcoming Children’s and Wellbeing Bill to allow it to act swiftly once a consultation launched next month is complete.
Mr Starmer has warned “no platform gets a free pass” as he pledged to help parents navigate the social media minefield.
He said: “As a dad of two teenagers, I know the challenges and the worries that parents face making sure their kids are safe online. Technology is moving really fast, and the law has got to keep up. With my government, Britain will be a leader not a follower when it comes to online safety.”
The idea of a social media ban for under 16s is being debated at Westminster – but do you think about the idea? Vote in our poll HERE to have your say.
