The UK government officially launched a three-month national consultation to determine whether to ban children under 16 from using social media. Technology Secretary Liz Kendall announced the move as part of a broader package to protect youth wellbeing, stating that the Online Safety Act was “never meant to be the end point.” The proposal follows the lead of Australia, which implemented the world’s first such ban in December 2025. UK ministers are expected to visit Australia soon to study the practical enforcement of their “age-assurance” technology.
Government launched consultation on banning social media for under-16s in the UK to “protect young people’s wellbeing.” Will give inspectorate power to check phone-use policies during school inspections with ministers saying schools should be phone-free: https://t.co/Xj15Q2tIal pic.twitter.com/0bNnj2AL5z
— Jaimey Perham (@jaimeyperham) January 20, 2026
Beyond an outright ban, the consultation will explore raising the digital age of consent, implementing “phone curfews” to stop late-night scrolling, and banning addictive features like “infinite scrolling” and “streaks.” Simultaneously, the government announced that schools in England are now expected to be “phone-free by default.” Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson confirmed that Ofsted will now have the power to inspect school mobile phone policies during every visit. While popular with some parents, the move faces pushback from charities like the NSPCC, which warn a ban might drive children toward “riskier, less visible” online spaces.
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The consultation will conclude in late April, with a formal government response expected by the summer. If adopted, the UK could become the second major economy to legally decouple teenagers from social platforms. Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch has criticized the timeline as “dither and delay,” while the House of Lords is set to vote on a similar amendment later this week.
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