Government launches consultation on possible social media ban for under-16s

Around 150 children will take part in a pilot to last until May

The government has launched a public consultation exploring a potential ban on social media for under-16s as it seeks to address growing concerns over the impact of online platforms on children's wellbeing.

The government has launched a public consultation on whether to ban social media use for children under 16, as it weighs tougher curbs to address concerns over the impact of smartphones and online platforms on young people.

The three-month consultation will gather views from parents, carers, teenagers, academics, civil society groups and technology firms before ministers decide whether to introduce restrictions, including a potential outright ban similar to measures adopted in Australia.

As part of the review, around 150 children aged 13 to 15 will take part in a pilot scheme testing the effects of limiting or removing social media access.

The trial will assess responses to a complete ban, a one-hour daily limit and mandatory overnight screen curfews, with researchers monitoring participants' sleep, mood and physical activity.

The government said millions of parents were concerned about the effects of social media on children's sleep, concentration and mental health, arguing many felt "they are fighting a losing battle against platforms designed to keep children scrolling".

Technology Secretary Liz Kendall said the consultation would help determine how young people could "thrive in an age of rapid technological change".

The initiative comes just six months after new child protection duties under Britain's Online Safety Act came into force.

Ministers have signalled they are prepared to go further if existing measures are deemed insufficient.

Beyond a full ban, the government is seeking views on requiring platforms to disable features such as infinite scrolling and autoplay for minors, imposing mandatory overnight curfews, and whether children should be allowed unrestricted access to AI chatbots.

Separate versions of the consultation have been designed for young people and for parents and carers.

An independent academic panel will also review the emerging evidence base, including data from Australia, which became the first country to introduce a social media ban for under-16s in December.

Spain said in February it intends to follow a similar approach.

Children’s charities divided

In Britain, the proposal has drawn cross-party backing but also criticism from some experts and charities.

The House of Lords has voted in favour of a full ban, while more than 60 lawmakers from Starmer's Labour Party have joined opposition Conservatives and Liberal Democrats in supporting tighter age limits.

Liberal Democrat education spokeswoman Munira Wilson said there was "no time to waste" in protecting children, warning that prolonged consultation risked delaying action.

But children's charities are divided on the issue.

The Molly Rose Foundation, set up by the family of 14-year-old Molly Russell who took her own life in 2017 after viewing self-harm content online, welcomed the review as a chance to strengthen online safety laws. Its chief executive Andy Burrows said parents were demanding decisive action but urged the government to follow evidence rather than adopt "simplistic solutions that would quickly unravel".

Other groups, including the NSPCC and 5Rights Foundation, have warned that a blanket ban could create a "false sense of safety" and drive children towards less regulated parts of the internet.

Iona Silverman, Intellectual Property & Media lawyer at national law firm Freeths, commented: "This consultation is a tacit acknowledgment that the Online Safety Act has not fully kept pace with the risks children now face online."

"The Government is right to look again at whether existing protections are wide enough to reflect the reality of a digital landscape that has evolved faster than the law. Proposals such as an overnight curfew may sound stark, but they are not without precedent. We have already seen the Government intervene robustly in other media contexts, including restricting daytime advertising of less healthy foods, where the policy aim is child protection. This signals a willingness to take firm regulatory steps where evidence of harm justifies it."

The consultation will close on 26 May 2026, with the government expected to publish its response in the summer.