MPs have voted against a proposal to ban under-16s from using social media. The Conservatives had pushed for the move via an amendment to the government's flagship education legislation currently going through parliament: the Children's Wellbeing and Schools Bill. The amendment had been backed by the House of Lords, but was defeated in the Commons on Monday night by 307 votes to 173.
Calls for a ban have gained traction after Australia became the first country in the world to enforce one back in December. Since then, other nations - including in Europe - have been flirting with the idea. Sir Keir Starmer has been accused of 'dither and delay' by announcing the UK government will consult on a possible ban, without committing to one.
In a statement after the Commons vote, the Liberal Democrats said his stance was 'not good enough' and 'families need concrete assurances now'. During the debate, shadow education secretary Laura Trott described the situation as an 'emergency'. Laura Trott cited polling which suggested 40% of children are shown explicit content on smartphones during the school day.
Laura Trott said: 'No more guidance, no more consultations. ' Some 107 Labour MPs abstained on the amendment to the education bill. Sadik Al-Hassan, who abstained, told the Commons parents were 'locked in a daily battle that they simply cannot win alone, fighting platforms that have been specifically designed to keep children hooked'.
Education minister Olivia Bailey cited concerns from children's charities that an outright ban on under-16s using social media could drive them towards 'less regulated corners of the internet', or leave them 'unprepared' for how to navigate the online world. Olivia Bailey said the government's consultation would 'seek views to help shape our next steps' - which could ultimately still include banning children from platforms like Instagram and TikTok. The specific measures that will be included in the government consultation on a possible social media ban for under-16s have not been detailed.
One measure MPs did back on Monday was to grant additional powers to the technology secretary, Liz Kendall, to potentially introduce such a ban in future. Liz Kendall could also limit children's use of VPNs and restrict access to addictive features of apps like autoplay videos. The specific implementation details are not yet known.
The Children's Wellbeing and Schools Bill will now return to the House of Lords to be further considered by peers. Lord Nash, the Conservative who proposed the amendment, has vowed to try to have it passed again. Lord Nash said there's 'huge demand across the country to raise the age limit and protect children'.
The bill will only become law if both Houses agree the final draft. The timeline for the Children's Wellbeing and Schools Bill to become law has not been specified.