Overview
- Ministers have begun a three-month review of measures that include a potential ban, overnight curfews and limits on engaging app features, with reports suggesting secondary legislation could be used to move quickly after the consultation.
- The House of Lords backed an amendment to require platforms to block under‑16s within a year, sending the issue back to the Commons and increasing pressure on the government.
- Around 60 Labour MPs have urged Prime Minister Keir Starmer to adopt a 16-plus minimum age for social media, intensifying internal pressure during the consultation period.
- Australia’s first month of enforcement has seen large numbers of under‑16 accounts removed and widespread evasion via fake ages and VPNs, alongside privacy concerns and legal challenges including a case brought by Reddit.
- Other jurisdictions are weighing similar steps, with India’s Andhra Pradesh forming a group to study the Australian model, Denmark considering curbs, and Canada’s culture minister not ruling out a ban for under‑14s.