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Britain’s technology secretary, Peter Kyle, has said there are no plans to ban children under 16 from accessing social media, pivoting it away from being an “on paper” option.
Last year, Australia introduced landmark legislation to restrict the use of platforms such as Instagram and TikTok by young teenagers, saying they were harmful to that age group.
Asked if the UK would follow suit after Canberra announced “world-leading” proposals, Mr Kyle told the BBC: “Everything is on the table” to ensure children’s safety online. He vowed to “do whatever it takes” to protect.
He also argued there was a lack of “robust peer-reviewed evidence” about the effects of smartphone and social media use on young people.
But on Thursday, Mr Kyle emphasized the educational and communication benefits of social media for young people, saying: “There are no plans to ban social media for under-16s.” Online sites could be particularly valuable for vulnerable children seeking help, he added.
Children are using social media “for educational purposes, to communicate with friends and often in a positive way,” he told The Sun.
He continued: “It’s also a lifeline for children who are having difficulties in their lives, or who want to talk about concerns they may have. For example, Childline helps vulnerable children who want to talk We have to be very careful about this because we are increasingly using some of these services to contact people.
Officials believe the UK’s Online Safety Act, passed in 2023 and coming into effect this year, will reduce the amount of harmful content children are exposed to on social media.
The online safety regime will require tech companies to set and enforce clear content moderation policies and introduce penalties for harmful content ranging from hefty fines to prison terms.
One of the bill’s aims is to prevent under-18s from accessing pornography, so social media sites where adult content continues to proliferate will be forced to ban access from teenagers. There is a possibility.
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The Australian law will not come into force until November this year. Its impact will be closely monitored by governments around the world who are also considering tightening controls. Norway, for example, has proposed raising the minimum age for social media use from 13 to 15.
After Mr Kyle suggested an Australian-style ban could be considered in the UK, he met with a committee of teenagers in London to discuss the addictive nature of the platform and the distressing content on social media. They complained, but appealed to avoid a complete ban.
