British Education Minister Olivia Bailey
The UK government has committed to restricting social media use for children under 16, even though it has stopped short of supporting an outright ban proposed by the House of Lords.
This step comes after a long struggle between the two chambers over the draft law on child welfare and schools.MPs backed the government’s amended proposal in the House of Commons, paving the way for the legislation to return to the Lords for final approval before it becomes law.
“Some form of restriction” was confirmed.
Education Minister Olivia Bailey told Parliament that the government would impose “some form of age or functional restriction” on social media platforms for under-16s, the BBC reported.Stressing that the current situation “cannot continue,” she said that restrictions such as curfews could also be considered along with age limits. However, specific measures will be determined after the end of the ongoing public consultation.Bailey added that the government would be legally obligated to act after the consultations, stressing that the question was “how” to act, not “if”.
Implementation schedule
The government said that a progress report will be published within three months of the draft law receiving royal approval.
The regulations are expected within 12 months, although ministers have indicated they aim to act sooner, perhaps before the end of the year.In exceptional cases, the timetable can be extended by six months, but only with an explanation provided to Parliament.Conservative Shadow Education Secretary Laura Trott welcomed the move, describing it as a “huge step forward” in protecting children online and supporting parents.However, Liberal Democrat leader Ed Davey criticized the government for delaying stronger action, accusing it of “dodging” the issue and urging faster implementation.Education Minister Bridget Phillipson defended the approach, saying the government was committed to action but wanted to ensure the measures were effective.
Activists welcome the action
Activists and bereaved families welcomed the government’s pledge. Ellen Romm, whose 14-year-old son died after an alleged online challenge, said many parents were “delighted” and emotional about the announcement.She said the push for regulation is to prevent similar tragedies from happening to other families.
Focus on malicious content and features
Ministers said the proposed rules would target addictive platform features and harmful algorithm-driven content, which are seen as contributing to the risks faced by young users online.The final form of the restrictions will depend on the outcome of consultations with parents, experts and campaign groups.