Keir Starmer Faces Pressure from Labour Peers on Under-16s Social Media Ban
More than 60 Labour MPs have written to the party leader, Keir Starmer, urging him to back a ban on social media for under-16s. The move comes as calls grow for the UK to follow Australia's precedent and introduce a minimum age limit of 16 years old for social media access.
The letter, organized by Fred Thomas, highlights concerns about the impact of social media on young people's mental health and wellbeing. It states that children are anxious, unhappy, and unable to focus on learning due to their online activities, and that governments around the world are recognizing the severity of this crisis and taking action.
The MPs are calling for a model similar to Australia's, which requires companies to take meaningful steps to enforce age limits. They argue that technology platforms, not parents, should be responsible for preventing underage access. The letter concludes with a demand for the government to introduce a minimum age limit of 16 years old.
The weight of Commons support for a ban will put further pressure on Starmer, who has previously been sceptical about whether such a move would work. However, he has indicated that he is open to a ban in principle and wants to assess the evidence from Australia before committing to enforcing one in the UK.
Starmer's position will be tested this week when peers vote on an amendment to the children wellbeing and schools bill that would enact an age limit within 12 months of the bill's passage. Labour has not yet said how it intends to vote, but several peers are expected to support the amendment regardless of whips' instructions.
The pressure comes as government figures stress concerns about a ban pushing children onto the dark web and emphasizing the need for more evidence before committing to enforcing one in the UK.
More than 60 Labour MPs have written to the party leader, Keir Starmer, urging him to back a ban on social media for under-16s. The move comes as calls grow for the UK to follow Australia's precedent and introduce a minimum age limit of 16 years old for social media access.
The letter, organized by Fred Thomas, highlights concerns about the impact of social media on young people's mental health and wellbeing. It states that children are anxious, unhappy, and unable to focus on learning due to their online activities, and that governments around the world are recognizing the severity of this crisis and taking action.
The MPs are calling for a model similar to Australia's, which requires companies to take meaningful steps to enforce age limits. They argue that technology platforms, not parents, should be responsible for preventing underage access. The letter concludes with a demand for the government to introduce a minimum age limit of 16 years old.
The weight of Commons support for a ban will put further pressure on Starmer, who has previously been sceptical about whether such a move would work. However, he has indicated that he is open to a ban in principle and wants to assess the evidence from Australia before committing to enforcing one in the UK.
Starmer's position will be tested this week when peers vote on an amendment to the children wellbeing and schools bill that would enact an age limit within 12 months of the bill's passage. Labour has not yet said how it intends to vote, but several peers are expected to support the amendment regardless of whips' instructions.
The pressure comes as government figures stress concerns about a ban pushing children onto the dark web and emphasizing the need for more evidence before committing to enforcing one in the UK.
? Like I get it, social media's not good for kids' mental health and all that... but 16 is like a big deal 
! What's wrong with just having parental controls and stuff? We're always lecturing parents to keep an eye on their kids online, so why can't tech companies do the same thing? 
It feels like we're creating more problems than solutions here 
.
... I mean, like, what if their parents are cool with it? Or if they need it for homework or something? Shouldn't we be worried about them getting cyberbullied or something? Not that im against the idea of a ban or anything, but i think its more complicated than just saying kids shouldnt be on social media at all 
...
, but at the same time, I get where the parents and experts are coming from. Just think it needs more nuance than a simple age limit 
that's a lot of time stuck online! and it's not just about screen time, research shows that excessive social media use can lead to increased symptoms of anxiety & depression in young people 
also did you know that the US has seen a 30% increase in teenage deaths by suicide since 2019? 
could a ban on under-16s social media be a game-changer for mental health? 
. Like, I get what they're saying about social media affecting young minds, but is a complete ban really the answer? 
. Australia's model might be a good starting point, but can't we just adapt it to fit our own needs instead of trying to copy someone else's approach? 
I'm all for keeping young minds safe, but do we need to take drastic measures like this? 
. btw, australia's model is based on gov't intervention, not tech companies enforcing age limits... doesn't seem like a great model 2 me 
. think we shd focus on eduatin kids on online safety & digital literacy instead 
.
. Maybe it's worth considering a ban? 
- it's literally crazy how much anxiety and unhappiness that platform can cause 
. anywayz, the fact that more than 60 labour MPs are calling for action is HUGE 
- we need more people speaking up about this issue 
, and i'm low-key hoping keir starmer will take a stand on this 
. can't wait to see how the peer vote goes this week 
... fingers crossed for a ban 
!