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Members of the House of Lords have been encouraged to support a proposal that would prohibit social media use for individuals under the age of 16 in the UK. Lord Nash, who previously served as a schools minister, introduced an amendment to raise the minimum age for social media access. This amendment is scheduled for discussion later on Wednesday.
The push for this change aligns with similar actions taken internationally, notably following Australia’s decision last year to implement the world’s first social media ban for young users. Despite this momentum, the proposal has faced opposition from certain advocacy groups and children’s charities. Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has yet to dismiss the possibility of such a ban, keeping the debate open.
Earlier in the week, Technology Secretary Liz Kendall announced plans to quickly launch a consultation aimed at enhancing online safety for children. This consultation will explore the potential benefits of a social media ban for those under 16, as well as investigate additional measures like overnight screen time restrictions and strategies to combat “doom-scrolling.” Other considerations include implementing stricter age verification processes on social media platforms and potentially removing or limiting features that encourage compulsive use. In conjunction with these efforts, Ofsted, the education inspection body in England, will issue firmer guidelines to schools to curb phone use, including advising staff against personal device use in front of students.
Lord Nash contends that a consultation is unnecessary, citing polling data indicating strong parental support for the ban. Speaking on the BBC’s Today programme, he emphasized the substantial body of academic research showing that excessive social media use harms children’s health. He also highlighted his amendment’s call for “highly effective age verification,” which he says social media companies are capable of implementing. “We’re just asking for a few more years for children to mature so that they do have to deal with social media at 16, they’re more likely to distinguish fact from fiction and they can make better judgements,” he explained. The amendment, part of the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill, has gained backing from peers across political lines, including Labour, Liberal Democrat, and independent crossbench members. Nonetheless, if approved by the Lords, it could still be reversed by MPs in the House of Commons.
On the political front, Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch has pledged that her party would enact a social media ban for under-16s if it gains power. She criticized the current Prime Minister’s approach, saying, “The prime minister is trying to copy an announcement that the Conservatives made a week ago, and still not getting it right.” Meanwhile, the Liberal Democrats have advocated for an age rating system similar to those used in films to shield children from inappropriate online content. Munira Wilson, the party’s education spokesperson, expressed urgency for action, warning that the proposed consultation “risks kicking the can down the road yet again” and emphasized the need to protect children from the influence of social media giants
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