backThe UK government has launched a public consultation to assess whether stronger measures are needed to protect children in the digital environment, including the possibility of restricting minors’ access to social media. The initiative draws inspiration from the approach recently adopted in Australia, where social media use has been banned for those under the age of 16. According to an official statement, the British government aims to review international evidence on the effectiveness of such restrictions and, if it decides to move forward, to consider the most appropriate way to implement them. As part of this process, government ministers are expected to visit Australia to gain first-hand insight into the experience of the first country to introduce a nationwide ban on social media for young people below that age threshold.
Beyond a potential age-based restriction, the consultation also explores other policy options, such as raising the digital age of consent, introducing usage limits to reduce excessive exposure, and curbing features regarded as particularly harmful to children and teenagers. The initiative comes amid growing global concern about the impact of digital content — including material generated by artificial intelligence — on younger audiences. Commenting on the matter, the Secretary of State for Technology, Liz Kendall, said the government’s goal is to ensure that technology supports children’s healthy development while safeguarding their safety and well-being.
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