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Scotland’s children’s commissioner, Nicola Killean, has stated that there is currently insufficient evidence to support a ban on social media use for children under the age of 16 as a means of improving online safety. She cautioned that such a ban might push young users toward less regulated and potentially more dangerous areas of the internet. Instead, Killean emphasized the importance of holding social media companies accountable for their practices.
Responding to the UK government’s consultation on introducing a minimum age requirement for accessing online platforms, including social media, Killean highlighted that a ban would not tackle fundamental issues such as exploitative algorithms and harmful business models that encourage damaging content and engagement. Prior to submitting her formal response, her office conducted a children’s rights impact assessment to evaluate the potential positive and negative effects of the proposals on children and young people. This assessment included input from a group of young advisers aged 12 to 17 from various parts of Scotland.
Killean acknowledged that social media exposes children to serious risks such as cyberbullying, harmful content, exploitation, manipulation, and excessive use. However, she also pointed out the positive roles social media can play, including supporting communication, self-expression, access to information, participation, play, and fostering connections with communities and support networks. She described the current evidence surrounding bans as limited and mixed, cautioning that blanket restrictions could inadvertently shift responsibility away from social media platforms and place it unfairly on children.
The commissioner further warned that any ban could disproportionately affect certain groups of young people, especially those living in rural or remote areas, children with family abroad, disabled children, and those relying on online communities for support related to their identity. In her recommendations, Killean called for greater attention to social media platform design and accountability, alongside stricter regulation of harmful features. She stressed that future rules should consider children’s age and maturity and involve young people directly in policy development. Additionally, she noted that any new age limits must not undermine existing protections for children online.
The UK government’s “Growing up in the online world” consultation, launched in March 2026, is exploring ways to better safeguard children on the internet. Proposals being considered include a legal minimum age for social media use, restrictions on features like autoplay and infinite scrolling, and stronger age verification processes. This consultation builds on the Online Safety Act and is intended to inform the development of forthcoming laws regarding children’s internet use.
Over 81,000 responses were received before the consultation closed. Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has committed to swift government action based on the consultation’s findings, stating, “I’ll be really clear, the question now is not whether we do something, we are going to act.” He described the forthcoming measures as needing to be “a game-changer” and assured that the government is prepared to implement changes promptly, having secured the necessary powers earlier in the year
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