Government would not support social media ban for under-16s, minister says

The UK Government would not support an Australia-style blanket ban on under-16s using social media, the Technology Secretary has said.

Peter Kyle said he believes decisions about when children should access social media should be left to parents.

Last year, he had suggested such a ban in the UK could be “on the table” if companies did not take action to protect children, but has since softened his stance on the issue, suggesting in January he had “no plans” for such a ban.

Parents need to have the flexibility to parent in a way that’s suitable for their children and circumstances. I’m trying to get the balance right between giving parents the freedom to be parents but also having absolute backstops

Australia introduced the world’s highest age restriction on social media use last year, barring children under 16 from creating accounts.

But Mr Kyle has said the UK should not follow suit.

Speaking to Nicky Campbell on BBC Radio 5 Live, he said: “Parents need to have the flexibility to parent in a way that’s suitable for their children and circumstances.

“I’m trying to get the balance right between giving parents the freedom to be parents but also having absolute backstops.

“Porn going into young children’s hands – that’s a backstop. Violent misogynistic content – that’s a backstop.

“If government can get the fundamentals right, that can give parents the freedom to introduce children to social media and some of the developmental potential.

“Most platforms are available from 13 plus – parents should decide if it’s 13, 14, even up to 18.”

In November, Mr Kyle told the Telegraph newspaper that the UK could move to to “another level of regulation” if tech companies do not get together to enforce the Online Safety Act.

At the time, he said he did not want to pursue further law changes until he sees how the Online Safety Act works.

But he signalled he had been speaking to politicians from Australia where social media restrictions for under-16s have been approved by its parliament.

Asked if the UK could push its age limits up to 16, Mr Kyle told the Telegraph: “When it comes to keeping young people safe, everything is on the table.”

Mr Kyle’s latest comments came on the day Ofcom published its final codes of practice, under the Online Safety Act, laying out how tech firms must protect children from harmful content.

It includes requiring firms to make their algorithms safe for children by not recommending them harmful material, and pushing firms to implement age verification tools – such as ID or credit card checks – to ensure children do not access inappropriate or harmful content.