The UK government has launched a consultation on whether to ban social media for children under the age of 16, drawing mixed reactions.
Technology Secretary Liz Kendall announced the consultation on Monday (19th January) as part of a package of measures designed to curb mobile phone use among young people.
The move follows a letter signed by more than 60 MPs urging the prime minister to introduce a ban. Esther Ghey, the mother of murdered teenager Brianna Ghey, is the latest person to add her name in support – she joined eight other bereaved parents calling on the government to implement the ban.
In a letter to Keir Starmer, Ghey explained her daughter’s eating disorder and self-harm had been exacerbated by content she consumed online.
She wrote: ‘Brianna had a social media addiction and struggled with her mental health from the age of 14. She developed an eating disorder and was self-harming, and all of this was significantly exacerbated by the harmful content she was consuming online.’
She added: ‘I was in constant fear about who Brianna might be speaking to online. I tried to monitor her phone through spot checks, but she was able to hide things from me very easily.’
News of the consultation comes as members of the House of Lords prepare to vote on an amendment to the children’s wellbeing and schools bill on Wednesday. If passed, the ban could come into force within a year of receiving Royal Assent.
In a statement, Kendall said: ‘Through the Online Safety Act, this government has already taken clear, concrete steps to deliver a safer online world for our children and young people.
‘These laws were never meant to be the end point, and we know parents still have serious concerns. That is why I am prepared to take further action.’
The consultation will explore whether to introduce a social media age limit, how to enforce such a limit, stopping technology companies accessing young users’ data and limiting addictive tools such as ‘infinite scrolling’.
Meanwhile, the government has also said it expects every school to be free of mobiles by default, with Ofsted set to include reports on phone use as part of their regular inspections.
While the proposal has been welcomed by many, the NSPCC has expressed concerns. Chris Sherwood, CEO of the charity, warned that for some children, social media can be a ‘lifeline’.
Commenting on the consultation, Sherwood said: ‘It’s encouraging to see the government launching a serious, evidence‑led consultation to improve children’s relationship with technology, with their safety and wellbeing placed firmly at the centre.’
‘Exploring strong measures to curb addictive design features and enforce minimum age limits is welcome,’ he continued. ‘For too long, tech companies have prioritised profit over children’s safety, and young people have paid the price. Taking forward measures to ensure products are safe by design would be a vital step in redressing that balance.’
‘We will continue to push the government to consider a wide range of perspectives on social media bans, recognising the unintended risks they may create and the unsafe spaces young people could be pushed towards,’ Sherwood added.
Similarly, Netmums has said the proposed ban is causing controversy. In an Instagram post, the charity wrote: ‘One Netmums parent took to our Facebook page and said: “It feels like some parents have lost control, so they want the government to step in and play the bad guy – rather than setting boundaries themselves”.
‘Some parents admit they’ve already allowed their children on social media – often reluctantly – but say a ban would be a welcome reset. With a clear law in place, it becomes ‘the government’s rule’, not just ‘mum or dad being mean.
‘It’s a view that’s sparking debate. Is a legal age limit a necessary protection, or does it undermine parental authority?’
Image: Mariia Shalabaieva/UnSplash
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