Should under 16s be banned from social media?

This will be a joint session in Parliament to discuss the Government consultation on potential age restrictions on social media and other services. It will be led by Natasha Irons MP, Chair of the APPG on Youth Affairs, as well as Matt Bishop MP, Chair of the APPG on Political and Media Literacy.

We would like to hear from young people about the consultation and their thoughts on the proposed restrictions. Members of Parliament will also be in attendance to listen and learn, and points raised in the session will be passed on to the Government to inform their work.

As we have heard from many young people, technology is an important part of their lives, helping them learn and build connections. It can also present risks, and many young people have told us that further regulation and accountability is needed for them to be truly safe online.

The Government is currently consulting on measures that include potential age restrictions on social media and other services such as gaming sites and AI chatbots, restrictions on design features and functionalities, and support for parents and families. They are looking to "understand how technology impacts children’s wellbeing, and what more we can do to help families strike the right balance."

The consultation will consider how children use digital technology as well as measures including:

• setting a minimum age for children to access social media - and what age would be right
• restricting functionalities and design features that encourage excessive use, such as infinite scrolling and autoplay
• whether the digital age of consent should be raised
• how age verification and age assurance technologies can support effective implementation
• whether the guidance on the use of mobile phones in schools should be put on a statutory footing
• better support for parents, including clearer guidance and simpler parental controls.

If you wish to send questions to put to MPs ahead of the event, please email us at [email protected].

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