Proposals to ban social media for children

In January 2026, the government announced a consultation on how to improve children’s relationships with mobile phones and social media. The consultation opened on 2 March 2026 and closed on 26 May 2026. One of the issues on which the consultation sought views was whether there should be a ban on social media for children.

Potential online harms for children

Children and young people can be exposed to many types of harmful content and activity online, including on social media.

Some content is illegal, like child sexual abuse images. Other material might not be illegal but can still harm children; for example, the promotion of unhealthy body-image, eating disorders, self-harm and suicide. Or it may not be harmful because it is not age appropriate, for example, pornography, sexual content, nudity, and violent content. There are also risks from activity such as cyberbullying and harassment.

Protecting children and young people from the above types of content and activity is one of the main aims of the Online Safety Act 2023.

Despite much of the 2023 act now being implemented, there are ongoing concerns about children’s online safety, including their use of smartphones and social media.

Statistics published in 2025 by Ofcom, the online safety regulator, found that:

• ownership of mobile phones increases with age group, with 19% of those aged 3 to 5 owning their own mobile phone, increasing to 97% of those aged 13 to 15
• the age group that uses social media most frequently is 13 to 15 (95%), with 96% of this age group having their own social media profile
• 37% of those aged 3 to 5 use social media, with 60% having their own social media profile

Arguments around banning social media for children

Those who support a ban say it would limit children’s exposure to online harms. For example, the Australian Government has said that its ban on social media for under-16s will protect young Australians from risks that come from “design features that encourage them to spend more time on screens, while also serving up content that can harm their health and wellbeing”.

Those who oppose a ban say it could force children into less regulated online spaces where they may be at greater risk. Others have said it could have unintended consequences, such as limiting the ability of marginalised groups to create online communities.

Government consultation on social media use

On 19 January 2026, the government announced a consultation on children's social media use to examine the most effective ways to ensure that children have “healthy online experiences”, building on the 2023 act.

The consultation - Growing up in the online world – ran from 2 March 2026 to 26 May 2026. It sought views on, among other things, banning social media use by children. The consultation received 116,211 responses. The government has said that it will publish an analysis of the responses in summer 2026.

Government to introduce restrictions on social media use after its consultation

Part 3 of the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Act 2026 will require the government to impose some form of age or functionality restrictions for children under 16. This was in response to successive government defeats in the House of Lords that would have meant a ban on social media use by the under-16s.