𝓤𝓷𝓲𝓽𝓮𝓭 𝓝𝓮𝔀𝓼

Keir Starmer is expected to announce a ban on children using social media after an official government consultation found nine out of 10 parents back a minimum age limit of 16. Asked about a possible ban this morning, Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy said: “I don’t want to get ahead of the Prime Minister’s announcement, but when we launched the consultation, it was a question of how we better protect young people online, not if we do so.”

A ban would not require new laws, but would involve Ministers using powers granted to them in existing laws which have so far been held in reserve. Ms Nandy said the experience in Australia, where strict age limits are already in place, showed that a ban would not be 100% effective but would reduce the harm that social media could do to children. She said: “One of the things that a social media ban does, and has been shown to do in Australia, is that although it does not stop all young people going online and onto social media apps, it does mean that you change the presumption at a very early age to stop the situation where kids as young as eight, nine, 10, 11 are going on to social media sites because all of their friends are on them.”

She added: “So the question of more regulation is it’s a definite yes from the government law enforcement action. I don’t think banning social media on its own is the silver bullet solution. But I do think Australia has shown very clearly that it has a significant role to play.”

Nine in 10 parents who responded to the Government’s “Growing Up in an Online World” consultation back a minimum age of 16 before platforms can offer their services to children.

Parents made clear they want restrictions on features such as sharing explicit images. And three quarters said families would face fewer disagreements if social media was restricted for under-16’s.

They also raised concerns about addictive designs with more than half (52%) who responded saying they wanted infinite scrolling restricted.

Technology Secretary Liz Kendall said: “I know how hard it is for parents today. Knowing what your child is seeing online, who they are talking to, and what features are being used to keep them hooked. It is an almost impossible task, and parents across the country are telling us enough is enough.

“Eight in 10 parents from the consultation say social media does more harm than good to their children. The majority are also worried about stranger contact and explicit image sharing.

“We have heard them. We have the powers to act. Change is coming, and will set out our response very soon.”

The Growing Up in an Online World consultation, which closed on May 26, received an unprecedented response from parents, children, campaigners, academics and civil society organisations. More than 116,000 people across the UK had their say, including over 14,000 young people aged 10-21 and over 54,000 parents.

The Government already has the legal powers it needs to act. Parliament passed the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Act earlier this year, giving Ministers the ability to introduce new measures to restrict harmful features on online services – without needing to pass new laws. That means change can happen fast.

The full response to the consultation from the Government will set out the specific measures it intends to take and the timeline for implementation.