The UK government has started a consultation about banning social media for people under 16. This is part of various actions aimed at protecting young people’s wellbeing.
As part of this new plan, England’s education inspectorate, Ofsted, will check phone use policies in schools. Ministers hope that most schools will be “phone-free” in the future. Australia introduced the world’s first social media ban for young people in December 2025, which has made the UK consider similar actions.
Some experts and children’s charities are concerned about this idea. However, many, including over 60 Labour MPs and the mother of a murdered teenager, support the ban. Esther Ghey, Brianna Ghey’s mother, believes that social media limited her daughter’s real-world social interactions.
Technology Secretary Liz Kendall announced that a three-month consultation will collect opinions from parents, young people, and organisations to assess the ban’s potential effectiveness. The consultation will also explore stricter age checks on social media platforms and ways to reduce compulsive use.
Despite many expressing support for the ban, others, including the NSPCC, warn that it may not solve the underlying problems. They argue it could create a false sense of safety and push children towards other online dangers instead. The government is also facing pressure from the House of Lords regarding this proposed ban.
Vocabulary List:
- Consultation /ˌkɒn.sʌlˈteɪ.ʃən/ (noun): A meeting to discuss something or to seek advice.
- Inspectorate /ɪnˈspektərɪt/ (noun): An organization that inspects and evaluates.
- Compulsive /kəmˈpʌl.sɪv/ (adjective): Resulting from an irresistible urge often harmful.
- Underlying /ˌʌn.dəˈlaɪ.ɪŋ/ (adjective): Existing beneath or the basic cause of something.
- Effectiveness /ɪˈfɛktɪv.nəs/ (noun): The degree to which something is successful in producing a desired result.
- Dangers /ˈdeɪn.dʒərz/ (noun): The possibility of suffering harm or injury.
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