Thank you to everyone who got in touch with me about raising the minimum age for social media use to 16. I appreciate this is an important issue for many constituents, particularly for those who have shared concerns about the young people in their lives already impacted by the harms of social media.
On average, a 12-year-old now spends 29 hours a week on a smartphone, much of it on social media platforms rife with harmful content. We cannot deny that this prolific use of social media screen time by children and young people is contributing to a rising number of them also experiencing poor mental health and low self-esteem.
Children are suffering and unable to focus on learning. Their addiction to online platforms is leaving them isolated and ill-equipped with the social skills needed to thrive.
The Government recognises the severity of this issue. It took action last year by implementing legislation from the Online Safety Act.
The Online Safety Act – which received Royal Assent in 2023 – aims to protect under 18s from harmful content online. Online platforms are required to use secure methods like facial scans, photo ID and credit cards checks to verify the age of their users. The Government has already fined a pornography company £1 million for failing to put in place proper age checks. You can read more about the Act by clicking here.
On 18 December 2025, the Government announced its new £20 million Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) Strategy to halve misogynistic violence by 2035. This features several measures to limit harms against women and girls online such as banning nudification apps and other tools designed to create synthetic non-consensual intimate images. You can read more about the strategy by clicking here.
While I recognise this is a step forward for online regulation and the wellbeing of children and young people, I do believe we could go further.
Last week, I – along with 60 other MPs – signed Fred Thomas MP’s letter to the Prime Minister requesting urgent action to raise the minimum age for access to social media platforms to 16 years old. You can read the letter in full below and access an article published by the Guardian about it by clicking here.
I am pleased to see that this week, the Department of Science, Innovation and Technology has launched a consultation to seek views from parents, young people and civil society to determine the effectiveness of a ban on social media for under 16s. You can read a statement about the consultation from the Rt. Hon. Liz Kendall MP, Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, delivered on 20 January 2026 by clicking here.
Thank you once again to everyone who raised this important issue with me.