The Conservative Party has announced plans to prohibit social media access for those under 16, likening their proposal to Australia's recent introduction of the same policy. Tory leader Kemi Badenoch emphasized that this policy aims to safeguard children's mental health and education by preventing exposure to harmful online content. Additionally, the party intends to enforce a ban on smartphones within schools.
This initiative comes a month after Australia's ban on under-16s using major social media platforms was implemented. The Conservatives plan to adopt similar measures, assuming they come to power, to ensure social media companies like TikTok and Snapchat use age verification tools to enforce these restrictions.
Badenoch conveyed that the policy would balance protecting children with maintaining adult freedom of choice and highlighted the need to regularly review the policy's extent. The NASUWT teachers' union has also supported this type of ban after consulting its members.
Currently, the government is not in favor of the ban but is committed to managing online content reliably. The Online Safety Act, effective from July of the previous year, mandates platforms to shield young users from harmful material related to suicide, self-harm, eating disorders, and pornography. The UK's media regulator, Ofcom, enforces these regulations, with non-compliant platforms facing severe penalties, including fines, imprisonment, or potential bans in the UK.