UK considers social media ban for under-16s as Minister orders new research

Technology Minister Peter Kyle has commissioned new research into the impact of social media and smartphone use on children, suggesting the UK may follow Australia’s lead in considering a social media ban for under-16s.

Australia is moving forward with plans to ban access to social media for all individuals under the age of 16, regardless of parental consent. “Social media is harming our children and I’m stopping it,” Prime Minister Anthony Albanese declared earlier this month.

Kyle said he was “looking closely” at Australia’s proposal and remained “open-minded” about implementing a similar measure in the UK. A review by the chief medical officer in 2019 found there was insufficient evidence to draw strong conclusions about the links between social media, smartphones and children’s mental health.

Believing that technology companies have unshared research on the issue, Kyle’s department has begun a six-month study, along with a multi-year project, “to help guide future government action.”

The call for faster action has intensified among activists and parents, especially after the publication of the book “The Anxious Generation” by American social psychologist Jonathan Haidt. The book attributes rising rates of anxiety and depression in children to smartphone use, although some academics have questioned its conclusions.

In addition, the Safer Phones Bill, proposed by Labor MP Josh McAllister, includes a mechanism to block social media for children under 16, and is due to be debated in March. Kyle is also urging Ofcom to report back on its progress on online safety legislation. The regulator is finalizing new laws, which will come into effect in the spring, that will force technology companies to protect children online and remove illegal content.

However, civil society groups argue that Ofcom is not tough enough on technology companies. They stress that current rules may, in some cases, require less action from companies than they currently take.

Kyle issued a “Statement of Strategic Priorities” for Ofcom, stressing that the regulator must ensure safety is built into platforms from the start, remain resilient, address emerging harms such as generative AI, and foster an environment resilient to misinformation.

Ian Russell, chair of trustees of the Molly Rose Foundation, welcomed the announcement, saying it “outlines a much-needed course correction” and “sets an important marker for Ofcom to be bolder”.

An Ofcom spokesperson responded: “We welcome the draft statement of strategic priorities, which, once completed, will help shape this important work.”