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Over 60 Labour MPs have urged the prime minister to implement a ban preventing under-16s from accessing social media platforms. In a public letter addressed to Sir Keir Starmer on Sunday, a total of 61 MPs criticized “successive governments” for failing to adequately protect young people from the harms posed by unregulated and addictive social media services. They encouraged Sir Keir to consider the approach taken by Australia, which enacted such a ban in December, noting that several other countries are reportedly contemplating similar measures.
The letter, signed by several committee chairs and former frontbenchers, highlighted concerns raised by constituents about the negative effects social media has on children’s mental health and development. The MPs stated that across their constituencies, children are increasingly anxious, unhappy, struggling to concentrate on education, lacking vital social skills, and missing out on experiences needed to prepare for adulthood. They pointed out that governments worldwide are recognizing this crisis and acting accordingly, mentioning Australia’s ban alongside expected follow-ups in Denmark, France, Norway, New Zealand, and Greece. Expressing alarm, the MPs warned that the UK “risks being left behind” if it does not take similar action.
Organized by Plymouth Moor View MP Fred Thomas, the letter included the signatures of notable figures such as Helen Hayes, chair of the education select committee, former whip Vicky Foxcroft, former education minister Catherine McKinnell, and former shadow cabinet minister Richard Burgon. This initiative adds to growing political pressure on the government to propose social media restrictions. Just last week, Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch pledged to introduce an under-16s social media ban if her party wins the next general election. Additionally, the Liberal Democrats have a proposal soon to be reviewed in the House of Lords, suggesting that social media platforms be assigned age ratings similar to films. Under this plan, platforms featuring addictive algorithms or inappropriate content would be limited to users over 16, while those containing graphic violence or pornography would be restricted to adults only.
However, several children’s charities and online safety organizations have spoken out against imposing a blanket ban on under-16s. Groups such as the NSPCC, Childnet, and the Molly Rose Foundation, along with 42 others, stated on Saturday that such a ban would be the “wrong solution.” They argued it would simply create a misleading sense of security by driving young people—and the dangers they face—into less regulated parts of the internet. Calling these bans well-meaning but ineffective, they urged instead for the robust enforcement of existing laws to keep social media sites, personalized games, and AI chatbots out of reach for under-13s. They also recommended that all social platforms implement evidence-based blocks to safeguard children according to the risks associated with different ages.
Ian Russell, whose daughter Molly Russell died by suicide in 2017 after exposure to self-harm and suicide content online, echoed these concerns. As a campaigner for online safety and founder of the Molly Rose Foundation, Russell told the BBC’s Newscast that the government should prioritize enforcing existing legislation rather than adopting “sledgehammer techniques” like an outright ban. He warned that such bans might have “unintended consequences” and potentially exacerbate problems rather than resolve them
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