PETITIONClosedPetition · petition.parliament.uk
Ban the use of smart phones & social media on the internet for under 18s
We think the government should ban under-18s from owning or using smartphones or accessing social media. These changes aim to protect young people from what we believe are the harmful effects of early exposure, including poor mental health, reduced attention span, and social development issues.
Last fetched 03 May 2026 · petition.parliament.uk
Signatures
129
signatures
Government response threshold (10,000) · 129/10,000
Debate threshold (100,000) · 129/100,000
Background
Some studies show that smartphones and social media are linked to rising mental health issues in young people, including anxiety, depression and poor sleep. We are concerned that children can face cyberbullying and harmful content and social pressures they aren’t ready for. We believe that current age limits are widely ignored and a legal ban would protect young people and support parents and schools.