Ministers are launching a consultation on banning under-16s from social media after coming under pressure from dozens of their own backbench MPs.
After initially opposing such a ban, the government’s position softened in recent days, and ministers will now consult on whether to bring in an Australia-style policy.
Read more: How Australia’s ban on social media for under-16s works
The consultation will also explore ways to improve the accuracy of age assurance technology to enforce minimum age limits for certain content, assess whether the digital age of consent is too low, and examine removing or limiting certain functions that drive addictive behaviours, such as social media “streaks” and the ability to scroll infinitely.
The Department for Education is also publishing strengthened guidance on the use of mobile phones in schools in England, making it clearer that they should be “phone-free environments” – but will not be legislating for a total ban.
These announcements come after Labour MPs, campaigners, and the Conservative opposition put huge pressure on the government to do more to protect young people online.
Although Sir Keir Starmer was initially opposed to a blanket ban on under-16s being on social media, his hand was likely to be forced on Wednesday by a vote in the House of Lords on a Tory amendment to the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill, which would regulate social media platforms “to use highly-effective age assurance measures to prevent children under 16 from accessing services”.
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If passed, it would then be debated in the Commons, and one Labour MP told our political reporter Faye Brown that there was “no way” the government could whip the Parliamentary Labour Party against it, which could trigger another welfare-style rebellion – something ministers hope this consultation will avoid.
The amendment has been tabled by Conservative former schools minister Lord Nash, who hit out at tonight’s announcement, saying in a statement that it “offers nothing for the hundreds of thousands of parents, teachers, medical professionals, senior police officers, national security experts and parliamentarians of all parties who have been calling for a raising of the age limit for social media”.
He added: “The longer we delay, the more children we fail. I continue to urge all peers to back my amendment on Wednesday, which would begin to end the catastrophic harm being done to a generation.”
Esther Ghey, mother of the murdered teenager Brianna, and other bereaved parents, also wrote to the prime minister and other party leaders on Tuesday, urging them to back Lord Nash’s amendment, saying it “sends an important and unambiguous message that social media is not appropriate for children under the age of 16”.
Technology Secretary Liz Kendall has issued a statement saying that ministers already intended to go further than the existing Online Safety Act.
She 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.
“Technology has huge potential – to create jobs, transform public services and improve lives. But we will only seize on that potential if people know they and their children are safe online.
“We are determined to ensure technology enriches children’s lives, not harms them – and to give every child the childhood they deserve.”
‘Phones have no place in schools’
More immediately, the government is strengthening the guidance on the use of mobile phones in schools in England, making it clearer that they should be “phone-free environments” – but stopping short of an outright ban in law.
Ofsted will now examine individual schools’ policies on mobile phones and how effectively they are implemented when judging behaviour during inspections, and support for schools available to those struggling to implement bans.
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Data from the department shows that 99.9% of primary schools and 90% of secondary schools already have mobile phone policies in place – but 58% of secondary school pupils reported mobile phones being used without permission in at least some lessons, rising to 65% of pupils aged 14 to 16.
Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson said: “We have been clear that mobile phones have no place in our schools, but now we’re going further through tougher guidance and stronger enforcement. Mobile phones have no place in schools. No ifs, no buts.
“Our Attendance and Behaviour Hubs will support schools that are struggling to effectively implement phone bans so all our children can learn in phone-free environments.”
Ofsted boss Sir Martyn Oliver added: “My message to headteachers is you now have all the backing – and the backing of my inspectors – to ban mobile phones in schools immediately.”
The new guidance will come into effect from the start of the summer term after Easter.
Chris Sherwood, chief executive at the NSPCC, 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 well-being placed firmly at the centre.
“Exploring strong measures to curb addictive design features and enforce minimum age limits is welcome. 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 must not allow tech companies’ business interests to trump children and young people’s rights to participate safely in the digital world, to information, to connection and to community.”
