UK Government Weighs Social Media Ban for Under-16s After 80,000-Strong Consultation

UK Government Weighs Social Media Ban for Under-16s After 80,000-Strong Consultation

Nine in Ten Parents Back Australian-Style Restrictions, Technology Secretary Confirms

The UK Government is actively considering banning children under 16 from holding social media accounts, Technology Secretary Liz Kendall confirmed Sunday, after a public consultation drew more than 81,000 responses and revealed near-unanimous parental support for the measure.

Kendall told the Sunday Mirror that a ban was “definitely on the table”, disclosing that nine in ten parents who responded had backed Australian-style restrictions. Of the total respondents, 42,410 identified as parents.

What Is Being Proposed

The consultation set out several options for restricting children’s access to social media platforms. These include:

“Parents are crying out for help and support,” Kendall said. “They know that there are some good things that kids can get from social media, but they are worried about what they’re seeing.”

Political Timeline

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer pledged action within “weeks, not months” at a Tuesday meeting with parents whose children’s deaths have been linked to social media use. An announcement is expected before the Makerfield by-election on 18 June.

Kendall’s public statements represent the strongest government signal yet that a legislative clampdown is imminent.

Critics Question the Evidence Base

Not all experts are convinced a ban would be effective. Nicola Killean, Scotland’s children’s commissioner, warned in her submission to the consultation that an outright prohibition would do “little to address underlying issues such as exploitative algorithms”.

Killean argued that the evidence on bans was “limited, mixed and still emerging”, and cautioned that blanket restrictions risk “shifting responsibility away from platforms and on to children” — a framing that deflects scrutiny from the corporations whose design choices drive harm.

The tension between parental demand for immediate action and experts’ concerns about unintended consequences is likely to shape the government’s final proposal in the weeks ahead.