Ministers Open to Social Media Limits for Children

Published: 28 April 2026. The English Chronicle Desk. The English Chronicle Online.

The British government has confirmed that children will face new restrictions regarding their online social media usage. Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson stated that ministers remain open-minded about the exact shape that these future limits will take. Speaking to broadcasters on Tuesday, she expressed significant concerns about the online content that younger individuals are exposed to today. She also highlighted the worrying amount of time that children spend staring at screens during their developmental years. Late on Monday, a junior minister informed the House of Commons that the government intends to introduce formal age or functionality restrictions for users under sixteen. This decision comes after intense, ongoing pressure from the House of Lords, which has repeatedly pushed for a stricter ban.

There have been widespread calls across the country for an Australian-style prohibition on children’s use of social media platforms. In response to these growing concerns, the UK government has already launched an extensive public consultation on future access for under-sixteens. Measures currently under serious consideration include mandatory age restrictions on various social media platforms as well as other digital services like gaming sites. Policymakers are also looking at potential limitations on AI chatbots that are becoming increasingly common among young users. Previously, the UK government had not made any firm commitments on the likely action until this late intervention occurred during negotiations regarding the children’s wellbeing and schools bill.

On Tuesday morning, Bridget Phillipson told Times Radio that it is not a question of whether the government takes action to protect young people, but rather the precise shape of that vital action. She noted that there are a wide range of sincerely held views from campaigners and families who have different opinions as to how the government can best seek to get this very complex issue right. When asked for her own personal view on the matter, she explained that she remains genuinely open-minded, just as she believes a great many other people are. She is eager to see further action to keep young people safe online, but she also wants to reduce the clear harms associated with the addictive nature of what young people are exposed to on a daily basis. Her priority is to ensure that whatever measures the government takes forward will stand the test of time and remain effective for all future generations.

There are many different ways in which these safety goals can be achieved, and that is why the government has initiated a thorough public consultation to hear directly from people about how they can best implement these changes. The government is committed to doing everything within its power to keep children safe in an increasingly digital world. On Monday night, education minister Olivia Bailey told the House of Commons that the government has said repeatedly that it is a question of how they act, not if. To put this commitment beyond any doubt, the government is placing a clear statutory requirement that the secretary of state must, rather than may, act following the completion of the consultation. This strategy brings forward necessary regulations without pre-empting the actual outcomes of the consultation and demonstrates that the government is not ignoring the tens of thousands of parents and children who have already engaged with the process.

She stated that the current status quo cannot continue and added that they are clear that under any final outcome, the government will impose some form of age or functionality restrictions for children under the age of sixteen. This significant concession by the government came after continued, heavy pressure from the House of Lords over the issue, which was led by the Conservative peer and former education minister John Nash. Peers have now voted four times to press the Commons into accepting an outright ban on children’s social media usage. A proposed ban has been strongly supported by vocal campaigners, including Esther Ghey, whose sixteen-year-old daughter Brianna was tragically murdered by two teenagers back in 2023. Her advocacy has kept the focus of the public and the government squarely on the dangers of unregulated online spaces for vulnerable young people.

A fortnight ago, Prime Minister Keir Starmer held a meeting with executives from X, Meta, Snap, TikTok, and Google, which owns YouTube, to deliver a clear message that urgent changes are needed. The government is navigating a difficult path by balancing the need for immediate, decisive action with the necessity of creating regulations that are both practical and sustainable in the long term. Many experts have warned that a poorly implemented ban could simply drive children toward less regulated, and potentially even more dangerous, corners of the internet. The government is therefore taking the time to consider how best to improve age verification technology to ensure that children have truly age-appropriate experiences while online. These efforts build upon the existing framework of the world-leading Online Safety Act, which already provides some protections against harmful content.

The education secretary believes that building digital literacy skills alongside these new restrictions is a crucial part of the broader plan to support families. She noted that technology should ideally enrich children’s lives rather than cause them harm, and the government is working hard to ensure that every child receives the best start in life possible. As the consultation continues, the voices of parents, teachers, and children themselves will play an essential role in shaping the final policy. The government is committed to working with tech companies to ensure they take greater responsibility for the design features that drive compulsive usage, such as infinite scrolling and notification streaks. While the path forward is complex, the government remains focused on its objective of creating a safer digital environment for every child across the United Kingdom.

Parliamentary discussions are expected to continue in the coming weeks as the children’s wellbeing and schools bill reaches its final stages of scrutiny. The government is confident that this legislative process will result in robust, enforceable measures that will meaningfully protect young people from the documented harms of excessive social media exposure. Ministers have promised to keep the public updated on the findings of the consultation and the next steps that the government intends to take to implement these necessary safeguards. The public is encouraged to continue sharing their thoughts and experiences during this final phase of the consultation process, as their feedback remains vital. Ultimately, the success of these measures will be judged by their ability to foster a healthier and safer digital upbringing for the nation’s youth. The government remains hopeful that these collective efforts will lead to a more balanced, positive relationship between young people and the technology that defines their daily lives.