28th Apr 2026 01:49
(Alliance News) - The UK government has said it will introduce "age or functionality restrictions" on social media for under 16s, Education Minister Olivia Bailey has said.
Bailey said the measures would be "imposed" regardless of the outcome of a consultation that is currently under way into social media's harms for children.
The concession by the government comes after pressure from the House of Lords over the issue, led by Tory former education minister and academy chain founder John Nash.
Peers voted four times to press the Commons into accepting a ban.
The government had already begun a consultation on access to technology for under-16s, and had floated measures such as age restrictions on social media as well as other services such as gaming sites and artificial intelligence chatbots.
However, it had not made any firm commitments on likely action.
Bailey told MPs: "On the remaining question on access to social media, we have listened carefully to the concerns raised across both Houses about the importance of the government acting swiftly once the consultation has concluded."
"The government has said repeatedly that it is a question of how we act, not if, but to put beyond any doubt, we are placing a clear statutory requirement that the secretary of state must rather than may, act following the consultation.
"This brings forward regulations without pre-empting the consultation's outcomes, and does not ignore the tens of thousands of parents and children who have already engaged with us.
"Let us be clear, the status quo cannot continue.
"We are consulting on the mechanism, and that is the right thing to do. But we are clear that under any outcome, we will impose some form of age or functionality restrictions for children under 16.
"I can also confirm that consideration of restrictions such as curfews will be in addition, not instead of this."
The move was welcomed by Conservative shadow Education Secretary Laura Trott who said: "We now have a commitment on the floor of the house, from the government, that they will impose an age restriction for children under 16, and this is in addition to, not instead of, any curfews.
"This is a huge step forward in keeping children safe and supporting parents in their fight against screens destroying children's lives."
Trott added: "Every month a delay just leaves children more exposed to the harms of social media online, so I urge the minister to keep to her words today and make sure that action is as swift as possible."
A proposed ban has been supported by campaigners, including Esther Ghey, whose 16-year-old daughter Brianna was murdered by two teenagers in 2023.
A fortnight ago Prime Minister Keir Starmer told tech bosses from X, Meta Platforms Inc, Snap, TikTok and Alphabet Inc's Google – which owns Youtube – that changes were urgently needed.
The prime minister had hinted at the possibility of measures to restrict children's access to social media sites, amid mounting concerns over its impact on their health and safety.
Starmer said: "Things can't go on like this, they must change because right now social media is putting our children at risk.
"In a world in which children are protected, even if that means access is restricted, that is preferable to a world where harm is the price of participation."
Nash described the government's concession as "a huge step forward for our children's safety online".
He added: "We will now all turn our attention – together – to making sure this is implemented as soon as possible in the best way to protect our children.
"Thank you to my colleagues in the Lords who voted four times to ensure that this happened. But above all, I want to thank the bereaved parents I have campaigned alongside.
"They didn't have to do this. They did it so that no other family would have to live through what they have lived through, and they have ensured that as a result every child in the country will be safer because of their work. I thank them for it."
By Harry Taylor and Rhiannon James, Press Association Political Staff
source: PA
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