The UK House of Lords voted 261 to 150 on January 22, 2026 to ban children under 16 from social media platforms, bringing the country closer to following Australia’s approach.
The vote approved an amendment to the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill requiring social media platforms to introduce age verification systems to block under-16s within one year.
Unless MPs vote to remove the amendment when the bill returns to the House of Commons, it will become law.
The vote came two days after the government launched a three-month consultation examining whether to implement an Australia-style ban. The consultation will consider banning under-16s from social media and raising the “digital age of consent” from 13 to 16.
The Amendment
Conservative life peer Baron John Nash, a former education minister, introduced the amendment. The Lords approved it 261 to 150.
The amendment requires social media services to:
- Introduce age verification to block under-16s from access within one year
- Deploy “highly effective” age-verification measures
It also requires the chief medical officers to publish guidance for parents on children’s social media use.
What Happens Next
The bill now returns to the House of Commons. MPs can vote to remove the amendment or keep it. If they keep it, the ban becomes law.
Reports suggest the government may offer a concession: amending legislation to allow introducing a social media ban through secondary legislation rather than a new law. This would be a much quicker process.
The Debate
Baron Nash said the UK faces “a societal catastrophe caused by the fact that so many of our children are addicted to social media.” He cited massive increases in children’s contact with mental health services, eating disorders among 17-19-year-olds, disruptive behaviour in schools, and sexual exploitation.
Liberal Democrat peer Baroness Floella Benjamin co-sponsored the amendment, arguing: “There is no need for a consultation, which will cause even further delay. We have all the evidence we need.”
What the Government Announced
On January 20, 2026, the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology launched a consultation examining whether to ban under-16s from social media.
The consultation will:
- Seek views from parents, young people, and civil society
- Examine whether an Australia-style ban would be effective
- Consider raising the digital age of consent from 13 to 16
- Look at requiring platforms to remove addictive features like infinite scrolling
UK ministers plan to visit Australia to learn firsthand from the implementation of the world’s first under-16 social media ban.
Political Pressure
The consultation followed weeks of intense pressure:
- 61 Labour MPs wrote to the Prime Minister calling for “urgent action”
- At least 66 Labour MPs support an under-16 ban
- 36 Labour MPs support a statutory phone ban in schools
Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch criticised the consultation as “more dither and delay,” saying her party would introduce an under-16 ban if in power.
Liberal Democrat education spokeswoman Munira Wilson warned the consultation risks delaying action.
The government also announced new measures for schools:
Ofsted Inspections: Inspectors will now scrutinise school mobile phone policies during every inspection, expecting schools to be phone-free environments by default.
The Data: Department for Education data shows that while almost all schools have phone policies, 65% of pupils aged 14-16 report phones being used without permission during lessons.
Statutory Ban Debate: At least 36 Labour MPs support a legally binding phone ban in schools. The government currently offers guidance urging headteachers to ban phones, but it’s not legally binding.
Many headteachers have called for a statutory ban to make enforcement easier and help address parents unhappy about their child not having access to a phone at school.
Digital rights advocates warn that an under-16 ban would require mass age verification for the entire internet.
Open Rights Group’s Concerns:
The organisation argues the ban creates “serious risks to privacy, data protection, and freedom of expression.”
Age-assurance technology often relies on identity documents, facial analysis, or inferred profiling. Once collected, this data can have long-term consequences for privacy and security.
Even strong data protection laws offer little protection when the system’s premise is to gather more personal data, not less.
The Discord Breach: In 2025, sensitive age-verification data collected by Discord was exposed in a breach. Expanding age-gating across the internet would multiply the scale of this risk, ORG argues.
The Scope Problem: One Lords amendment could potentially ban under-16s from social functions in online games, messaging services like WhatsApp, and collaborative platforms like Wikipedia—going far beyond Australia’s approach.
Australia implemented an under-16 social media ban in December 2025. Platforms removed 4.7 million accounts in the first two weeks.
The success demonstrated that large-scale enforcement is technically possible, though VPN usage surged 170% as teenagers sought workarounds.
UK ministers visiting Australia will examine:
- How age verification was implemented
- Which platforms were covered
- What enforcement challenges emerged
- How families and schools adapted
The Australian ban provoked debates about technology use, privacy, child safety, and mental health. The UK faces similar questions about whether government should mandate age restrictions or leave decisions to parents.
Technology Secretary Liz Kendall said the consultation reflects recognition that the Online Safety Act was never the final word on children’s digital safety.
House of Commons Vote: MPs will decide whether to keep or remove the Lords amendment. If kept, the ban becomes law within one year.
Consultation Results: The three-month consultation closes in April 2026. Results will inform whether the government proceeds with legislation.
Political Pressure: With significant Labour MP support for a ban and Conservative opposition promising immediate action, pressure on the government to act decisively continues mounting.
International Context: France is fast-tracking an under-15 ban for September 2026. Denmark and Spain are advancing similar legislation. The UK’s decision will influence broader European policy.
SOURCES
Primary Sources:
https://www.theregister.com/2026/01/22/house_of_lords_votes_to_ban_under_16_socmed
Related Coverage:
Australia’s Under-16 Ban: 4.7 Million Accounts Removed
France Fast-Tracking Under-15 Ban for September 2026
90% of American Children on Social Media Have Parental Permission
