UK Committee Calls for Statutory Social Media Ban for Children

The Commons Education Committee called for a statutory ban on social media for children and restrictions on platform features including infinite scrolling, disappearing messages, and algorithm-driven content. The recommendations appear in the committee’s response to the government’s “Growing up in the online world” consultation.

The report states that children face a “deluge of serious harms” online, including bullying, misogyny, abuse, and sexual exploitation.

The cross-party committee described the harms as “severe and systemic” and linked them to poorer sleep, reduced attention spans, behavioral problems, and concerns over mental health. ” The committee also backed tougher school phone rules, recommending that schools either ban phones entirely or require pupils to lock them away during the day.

Committee chair Helen Hayes MP said the platforms that connect children to friends or hobbies are also putting their mental health at risk.

The report urged regulation to extend across gaming platforms, messaging apps, and AI chatbots used by children. It noted that social media companies’ reliance on voluntary measures falls short of the accountability required. Opponents of a statutory ban warned that the move could give too much power to the state and prove difficult to enforce.

Baroness Claire Fox argued that parents rather than governments or regulators should hold primary responsibility for children’s screen use. The committee stressed that a ban should be viewed as a starting point rather than a complete solution.