Member of Parliament advocates for banning social media for teenagers, similar to Australia

A Labour Member of Parliament has suggested introducing a restriction on social media use for children under 16 in the UK, inspired by a similar policy recently implemented in Australia. Starting 10 December, Australian social media companies, including Meta, TikTok, and YouTube, are required to prevent under-16s from creating accounts on their platforms.

Jess Asato, representing Lowestoft in Suffolk, expressed concern about the exposure of UK children to harmful online content and advocates for a comparable ban at home. "Children deserve a strong start in life, and that includes spending their formative years away from social media," she remarked.

In the UK, new rules under the Online Safety Act, which came into effect in July, now legally obligate online platforms to protect children and young people online. Asato has also called for the minimum age of online consent to be raised from 13 to 16. She highlighted the correlation between increased online activity and declining mental health, noting a reduction in children enjoying outdoor play and reading.

She drew a parallel to historical safety measures, stating, "Decades ago, toys containing lead were banned for children's safety. Social media products, however, remain largely unregulated." She warned that the current situation risks producing a "lost generation." The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology has been approached for comment.

Some young people have voiced alternative solutions, advocating for stronger safeguards rather than outright bans. Joshua, 12, mentioned he spends about two hours daily on social media mainly chatting with friends. He suggested, "Banning all under-16s feels like an overreaction. Efforts should focus on filtering harmful content on these platforms."

Paige, 13, who uses her phone for roughly three hours a day, agreed that safety measures would be more effective than a ban. "Many things on social media aren't suitable for young eyes. Safeguards would handle this better," she commented.

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Author: Sophia Brooks