‘Exactly right thing to do’: Labour MPs praise under-16s social media ban announcement

Labour MPs have praised the Prime Minister’s announcement of a ban on social media platforms for under 16-year-olds.

The ban, which will affect platforms including Snapchat, TikTok, YouTube, Instagram, Facebook and X, are set to be passed by Parliament before the end of the year and come into force in the spring of 2027.

Other measures including overnight curfews and breaks in “infinite scrolling” are also being considered for under-18s, with more detail expected next month.

The move comes after a public consultation, with around 90 percent of parents backing a ban.

In a press conference from Downing Street, Keir Starmer said: “This is not something I do lightly, and I will not present it as cost-free as if social media has brought no benefits to young people. But government is always about choices, and it’s clear to me that a full ban is the right choice.

“Every parent can see it with their own eyes: social media is making children unhappy. It’s making it easier for bullies to harass and abuse them, and it could even be harming their mental health – exposing them to content that is dangerous because that’s what grabs attention.

“It will make a huge difference. It will make our children safer. It will make our children happier. It will give them more time, more security, more freedom to grow up, more opportunity – and that, at the end of the day, is what this government is all about.”

‘Not an easy change, but an important one’

Former schools minister and MP for Newcastle upon Tyne North Catherine McKinnell welcomed the action by the government to “protect children and young people from the exploitative grip of social media”.

She said: “I have been calling for decisive action on this issue. Too many children have already been harmed, and for too long companies have been making vast sums of money without the regulations and guardrails for under-16s that are clearly needed.

“This is not as easy change, but an important one. I will continue to work to ensure we get the details right, and ensure that children get the protection and childhood they deserve.”

‘Tech firms can no longer be allowed to scapegoat responsibility’

Speaking after the announcement on Sky News, Milton Keynes North MP and mother of two girls Emily Darlington said that social media companies could no longer be allowed to “scapegoat responsibility for the safety of young people” and stressed the need to get the legislation right.

She said: “I have a nine year old and a 15 year old – both key ages in terms of online experiences. I want them to have a positive experience online. I want them to know tech and understand tech. I want them to learn and explore their hobbies.

“But it can’t replace what they’re doing in real life – those experiences where they’re going out and actually learning to roller skate, which is one of the things I was doing with my daughter yesterday. We need to have that balance, because what we know from neuroscientists is it’s the amount of time they’re spending on their screens and the quality of what they’re seeing on their screens that is affecting their mental health, and that’s not all through social media, so if we don’t include the other areas, we’re not protecting our children.”

‘Exactly the right thing to do’

Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy said that keeping children safe online needs to go “hand in hand” with giving them more opportunities offline.

She said: “That’s why we’re investing in sport, music, culture and the arts – giving young people the confidence and connections to thrive.”

Cowdenbeath and Kirkcaldy MP Melanie Ward said that banning social media for under-16s is “exactly the right thing to do” and that “parents across the country have been crying out for help” with tackling online harms.

Abtisam Mohamed said that hundreds of her constituents in Sheffield Central had expressed concern about social media use among children and its impact on mental health.

She said: “After Australia and France have advanced legislation to ban social media use for minors, I’m pleased that government have taken this seriously.

“This is about ensuring technology works for children, not against them, and that parents and schools are supported rather than left to face this challenge alone.”

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