UK Considers Social Media Ban for Under-16s After 116,211 Consultation Responses

The UK government received 116,211 responses to its January consultation on children's social media use and is now weighing options that include a possible ban for under-16s. Sir Keir Starmer is expected to announce shortly whether Britain will follow Australia's January prohibition on social media accounts for children under 16.

Andy Burrows, chief executive of the Molly Rose Foundation, told BBC Breakfast he would be "dismayed" if the UK adopted a similar ban.

Burrows recommended instead banning autoplay, infinite scroll, and algorithms that "bombard" children with harmful material. He said these features contributed to the harm that led to Molly Russell's death. Molly Russell was 14 when she took her own life in 2017 after exposure to self-harm content online.

Burrows stated that experts and organisations working on child safety "do not have confidence" in an Australia-style ban. Australia's eSafety Commission reported in March that seven in 10 parents whose children already had a social media account said their children were still on the platforms.

Burrows described the policy-making process as "being done on the back of a fag packet" and said it was "incredibly high risk" when children's safety was involved.

The government opened the consultation in January to examine the most effective ways to keep young people safe online. Ministers have considered a range of measures, including a blanket ban and screen-time limits.