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Members of Parliament have decided against adopting an Australia-style prohibition on social media use for children under the age of 16. Instead, they have endorsed a more flexible approach, granting ministers discretionary powers to regulate access. This follows Australia’s introduction of a ban on platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and Snapchat for younger users at the end of last year, making it the first country to implement such restrictions. Earlier this year, peers in the House of Lords also showed support for similar measures.
The debate has seen divided opinions. Actor Hugh Grant has publicly supported the ban, while the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NSPCC) expressed concerns that outright bans might push young people towards less visible and potentially more dangerous parts of the internet. The Liberal Democrats criticized the government’s reluctance to enforce a complete ban, calling the decision “simply not good enough.” Additionally, Molly Russell’s father, whose daughter tragically took her own life at age 14 after exposure to harmful online content, emphasized the need to focus on the rigorous enforcement of laws already in place rather than new bans.
The proposed restriction was part of suggested amendments to the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill but was ultimately rejected by MPs. Education minister Olivia Bailey urged the Commons not to adopt an outright ban, advocating instead for adaptable regulations. She highlighted concerns from children’s charities that a blanket ban might drive youngsters to unregulated areas online or fail to prepare teenagers for responsible use of social media. Bailey noted that the government recently launched a consultation to gather input on how best to ensure children’s online experiences are safer and healthier.
Under the revised plan, powers would be granted to the Science Secretary, Liz Kendall, to impose age-based limitations or bans on social media and chatbot access for children. These powers might also extend to restricting harmful or addictive features on platforms, controlling the use of Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) by young users, and adjusting the digital age of consent in the UK. When voted on, MPs rejected the Lords’ proposal for an outright ban by 307 to 173 and supported the minister’s more flexible approach, though the latter did not rule out the possibility of future bans. During the discussion, figures such as Labour MP Sadik Al-Hassan, who abstained from voting, compared social media to a harmful drug and stressed that action is needed given the evidence of damage to children’s wellbeing
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