Petition against under-16 social media ban heads for Westminster Hall debate

MPs will debate a petition opposing a ban on social media for under-16s in Westminster Hall on Monday 2 November. The petition, Do not ban social media for under 16s, gathered 217,682 signatures between February and August, well past the 100,000 needed to be considered for debate.

Its creator argued that for many young people social media is how they keep in touch with friends and find a supportive community. Petition debates do not end in a vote that changes the law, but a minister must respond and the debate is recorded in Hansard.

The ban is already on its way

When it responded to the petition in March, the Government said there was no consensus on a ban and launched a consultation, Growing up in the online world, which drew more than 116,000 responses. On 15 June, Technology Secretary Liz Kendall announced that social media companies will be banned from offering their services to under-16s. Under-16s will also be stopped from livestreaming themselves and from being contacted by strangers, including on gaming sites. Messaging services such as WhatsApp are not meant to be covered.

The ban will be brought in by regulations under the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Act, so no new Act of Parliament is needed. The Government’s full response in July added an overnight curfew for 16 and 17-year-olds, blocking social media from midnight to 6am by default.

Peers returned to the subject on 22 October in a debate on the effect of AI, screen use and social media on children, led by crossbencher Lord Patel. Replying for the Government, Baroness Lloyd of Effra said: “Like Australia, we are banning social media companies from offering their services to children under 16.” She told peers that “the first regulations on the social media ban will be laid before Parliament by the end of this year”, and that “the restrictions will come into effect from spring 2027.”

Conservative peer Baroness Owen of Alderley Edge was more cautious. “I am concerned that this approach is not nuanced enough,” she said, warning that “a ban in the UK may put the onus solely on parents”.

A second petition, calling for a ban on children and their likeness being used to promote pornography or adult content, has passed 44,000 signatures, so the Government will respond to it.

In Northern Ireland, the Department of Education is consulting on measures to support mobile phone-free schools. The consultation closes on 19 November.