Highlights
- Children under 16 face social media restrictions or ban.
- Time limits and evening curfews being considered.
- Decision follows pressure from Lord Nash.
Education minister Olivia Bailey told MPs the current situation cannot continue. She said the government will bring in either age restrictions or limits on what children can do on apps.
The announcement came after Lord Nash, a former education minister, pushed the government to act quickly. The House of Lords voted four times to demand immediate changes.
This created a parliamentary standoff that threatened to delay the entire Children's Wellbeing and Schools Bill.
Ministers are now looking at several options. These include banning under-16s completely from social media, stopping features like endless scrolling, setting daily time limits on apps, and blocking access between 9pm and 7am.
They also want stronger checks to prove users' real ages. Education secretary Bridget Phillipson told The Times that she has an open mind about which rules to choose.
However, she made clear the government will definitely take action. "It's not a question of whether we take further action," she told Times Radio. "It's the shape of that action, what that looks like."
She confirmed the government will stop addictive features on social media. Prime minister Keir Starmer has already said that "addictive algorithms" should not be allowed.
Lord Nash called the decision "a huge step forward" for keeping children safe online. He said parents, teachers and police officers had all asked the government to act.
The Conservative education spokesperson Laura Trott also supported the move. She noted that age restrictions will come alongside other measures like curfews, not instead of them.
The Molly Rose Foundation cautiously supported the move while warning against relying solely on blanket bans. A government consultation is currently underway. The results are expected in a few months.
