UK Considers Under-16 Social Media Restrictions

UK Government to Implement Under-16 Social Media Restrictions

The UK government announced on Tuesday that it will introduce new restrictions on social media access for individuals under 16 years old by the end of 2024. This decision follows the conclusion of a public consultation initiated in March, which gathered approximately 70,000 submissions from various stakeholders, including charities, campaign groups, and the public. Technology Secretary Liz Kendall confirmed that a response to the consultation will be issued in the summer, with concrete actions to follow.

The consultation explored a range of potential measures, including an outright ban on social media for under-16s, similar to regulations in Australia. Other options considered were app curfews, stronger age verification protocols, and disabling features such as auto-play and infinite scroll. The government also sought opinions on children's access to AI chatbots and the enforcement of age checks.

While some groups, including police leaders and bereaved families, advocate for an outright ban or raising the minimum age to 16, other campaigners skepticism about the effectiveness of such prohibitions. Concerns have been raised regarding the enforceability of bans, citing instances in Australia where under-16s reportedly accessed blocked sites. The Academy of Medical Royal Colleges has also called for action, comparing the health impact of social media on young people to that of smoking.