𝓤𝓷𝓲𝓽𝓮𝓭 𝓝𝓮𝔀𝓼

The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology has delivered a significant update concerning a possible ban on social media for those aged under 16. This announcement comes in response to an active ongoing UK parliamentary petition calling for ‘strict age verification’ and laws to ensure ‘platforms accountable’ in a bid to safeguard ‘mental health and childhood’.

In an official statement, the UK Government department emphasised the significance of this matter and expressed gratitude to all petition signatories. It confirmed that a consultation has now been initiated to enhance children’s online safety, which encompasses ‘seeking views on a social media ban for children’.

The response issued yesterday (January 26) explained: “The government is launching a consultation and a national conversation to gather views and drive action to keep children safe online, including seeking views on a social media ban for children.

“I would like to thank all those who signed the petition on this important issue. This government is determined to seize the opportunities of technology and AI, so that we can shape a future that works for us all. Especially our children.

“But to do so, people must feel that their children are safe online. The Online Safety Act is one of the toughest regimes globally – it requires in-scope services to tackle illegal content and activity, and to protect children from harmful and age-appropriate content.”

On January 20, the Government officially launched a ‘short’ consultation on measures to enhance online safety for children. This will be accompanied by a ‘national conversation’, exploring potential changes such as ‘raising the digital age of consent’ and prohibiting social media use for under-16s.

Additional ideas under consideration include ‘curfews overnight’, ‘breaks’ to prevent ‘excessive use or doom scrolling’, and regulations concerning VPN usage.

The Government department further explained: “We will consult with parents, the organisations representing children and bereaved families, technology companies, and – crucially – with children and young people themselves, as well as those with lived experience with these issues. This will be an evidence-based consultation, with input from independent experts.

“We will also look closely at the experience in Australia and their ban on social media for under-16s. In addition, we are also bringing forward work on broader screen time. We are developing screen time guidance for children under five, which will be available from April of this year, and developing evidence-based screen time guidance for parents of children aged five to 16.

“There is a clear consensus that there are issues to tackle in regard to children’s use of social media, however there is a difference of opinion in how children’s relationship with social media and screentime should be further tackled.

“This is shown by some of the most prominent voices in this field believing that a social media ban is not the right answer. This is exactly why we are consulting. The government’s position is clear: we are acting swiftly to address the concerns that have been raised via this petition.”

The petition entitled ‘Ban social media for under-16s to protect children’ has now garnered over 70,000 signatures. Should it reach 100,000, it will be considered for a debate in Parliament.

You can read the petition and its response in full at Parliament’s website here.

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