UK Technology Secretary, Peter Kyle, has suggested that banning social media for children under the age of 16 is a potential measure under consideration.
Speaking on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, Kyle stated his willingness to take necessary steps to protect children and the wider public from online harm.
He also announced plans for further research into the effects of technology, such as smartphones and social media, on young people. According to Kyle, there is currently a lack of conclusive, peer-reviewed evidence on the matter.
In a “letter of strategic intent” addressed to Ofcom, Kyle outlined his priorities as the regulator prepares to enforce new responsibilities under the Online Safety Act (OSA).
The Molly Rose Foundation, a campaign group, commended this initiative as a significant call for Ofcom to adopt a more assertive stance. However, the group emphasised that the Online Safety Act still requires significant strengthening to effectively safeguard users.
“Our research is clear. The public and parents back an updated Act that embeds an overarching duty of care on tech firms, and the Prime Minister must act quickly and decisively to deliver this unfinished job,” it said in a post on X.
Aping Australia
The idea of legally restricting social media for young people has come into the spotlight after Australia’s government said it would introduce legislation to ban children under 16 from social media.
Asked whether the UK would follow suit, Kyle said “everything is on the table with me”, but said he wanted to see more evidence first.
He said he was also focused on making sure the powers contained in the OSA, which is coming into effect next year, were used “assertively” by the regulator.
“I just want to make sure that Ofcom knows that government expects them to be used,” he told the BBC.
The OSA demands tech firms take more responsibility for the content on their platforms to protect children from some legal but harmful material.
Kyle said he wanted to see evidence that tech firms were delivering suitable age verification for users, and that the sector was moving towards having “safety baked in from the outset.”
Social media and messaging platforms could face hefty fines, potentially running into billions, if they fail to meet the requirements set by the Online Safety Act (OSA).
In response, several companies have already implemented notable changes. For instance, Instagram introduced new account settings for teens in September, while Roblox restricted young children from messaging other users in November.
Despite these actions, critics argue that the government’s efforts remain insufficient.
In February, the mother of Brianna Ghey, a teenager who was tragically murdered, expressed to the BBC that the measures in place were not enough to prevent such tragedies.