Consultation on social media ban for under-16s to begin

"The path to a good life is a great childhood, one full of love, learning and play. That applies just as much to the online world as it does to the real one. We know parents everywhere are grappling with how much screen time their children should have, when they should give them a phone, what they are seeing online, and the impact all of this is having."

"As well as gauging opinion on an outright ban, the government wants the public's views on less dramatic interventions. Whether platforms should be required to switch off addictive features like infinite scrolling and autoplay, whether mandatory overnight curfews would help children sleep better, whether children should be able to use AI chatbots without restriction, and how age verification enforcement should be strengthened."

The UK government is launching a public consultation on Monday to gather views on whether to ban social media for children under 16, inspired by Australia's recent ban on platforms including Instagram, Snapchat, YouTube, and TikTok. Beyond an outright ban, the consultation seeks public opinion on alternative measures such as disabling addictive features like infinite scrolling and autoplay, implementing mandatory overnight curfews, restricting AI chatbot access, and strengthening age verification enforcement. Pilot programs will test proposed interventions to gather real-world evidence of effectiveness. Technology Secretary Liz Kendall emphasized that the consultation aims to help young people thrive during rapid technological change, acknowledging parental concerns about screen time, phone access, and online content exposure. The government plans community events involving MPs, influencers, and schools to encourage broader public participation.

Read at www.bbc.com