Members of the UK Parliament have voted against introducing an Australia-style ban that would have prohibited children under the age of 16 from using social media platforms, opting instead to support a more flexible regulatory framework that grants ministers powers to impose restrictions if necessary.
The proposal, which sought to block under-16s from accessing platforms such as TikTok, Instagram and Snapchat, was presented as an amendment to the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill. It drew inspiration from Australia’s recent legislation that introduced one of the world’s strictest limits on youth access to social media.
Supporters of the ban, including actor Hugh Grant and several members of the House of Lords who endorsed the idea earlier this year, argued that stronger action was needed to shield children from harmful online content and addictive platform features.
However, critics cautioned that a blanket prohibition could produce unintended consequences. Child protection organisations, including the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NSPCC), warned that banning mainstream social media platforms might push young users toward less regulated or more dangerous areas of the internet.
During the House of Commons debate, Education Minister Olivia Bailey urged MPs to reject the outright ban and instead adopt a more adaptable approach that allows the government to respond to evolving digital risks.
Bailey acknowledged that many parents and advocacy groups support tougher measures to protect young people online but noted that children’s charities and digital experts have raised concerns about the potential impact of a total ban.
She explained that such restrictions could leave teenagers unprepared to navigate online environments responsibly later in life or encourage them to access online services through unregulated channels.
Instead, the government has launched a public consultation to gather input on strengthening online safety measures for young people. The consultation will explore whether social media companies should enforce stricter minimum age requirements and whether features considered addictive—such as autoplay and algorithm-driven content feeds—should be limited for younger users.
Under Bailey’s proposal, the UK Science Secretary Liz Kendall would be granted new regulatory powers to restrict or ban access to social media platforms and artificial intelligence chatbots for certain age groups if deemed necessary.
The proposed framework could also enable the government to limit access to features considered harmful or addictive and potentially restrict the use of Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) by minors seeking to bypass safeguards.
Ministers would also retain the option of adjusting the country’s digital age of consent as part of broader efforts to improve online protection for children.
In the final vote, MPs rejected the House of Lords amendment calling for a full social media ban by 307 votes to 173, while backing the government’s alternative approach that keeps future restrictions on the table.
Despite the outcome, more than 100 MPs from the governing Labour Party abstained from the vote, reflecting divisions within the party on how far the government should go in regulating children’s online activity.
North Somerset MP Sadik Al-Hassan, who abstained, warned during the debate that social media poses significant risks to young people, arguing that many parents are struggling to shield their children from platforms deliberately designed to maximise user engagement.
He added that if social media were treated like a pharmaceutical product shown to cause measurable harm, it would likely face far stricter regulation or limited access.
Opponents of the blanket ban also include the father of Molly Russell, a 14-year-old whose death was linked to exposure to harmful online content. He has urged the government to focus on enforcing existing online safety laws rather than imposing sweeping restrictions.
Following the vote, the Liberal Democrats criticised the government for failing to commit to stronger protections.
The party’s education spokesperson, Munira Wilson, said families need clear assurances that harmful and addictive online content will be effectively tackled.
Wilson warned that the government’s consultation process must not become an excuse for delays in implementing meaningful protections for children navigating the digital world.
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