A UK petition calling for social media companies to ban children under 16 from creating accounts has received over 127,000 signatures, triggering a Westminster Hall debate scheduled for February 24, 2025.
The petition argues social media has more negative than positive impact on children and calls for people to reach an age “where they can make decisions about their life before accessing social media applications.” The debate will be led by Tony Vaughan MP.
The petition states: “We believe social media is having more of a negative impact to children than a positive one. We think people should be of an age where they can make decisions about their life before accessing social media applications.”
This follows the UK’s Online Safety Act 2023, which requires platforms to use age-checking measures and remove harmful content quickly, but doesn’t set a minimum age like Australia’s approach. The UK currently allows children aged 13 and over to access social media platforms under data protection rules.
In its December 2024 response, the government said tech companies should “take responsibility to ensure their products are safe for UK children” and that the 2023 act was a “crucial tool” for protecting children online.
UK parents may see policy changes if the parliamentary debate leads to new legislation similar to Australia’s December 2025 ban for under-16s.
Source: House of Commons Library
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