Consultation launched on children's social media use

The government has launched a major new consultation to gain views on how to keep children safe online across social media, AI chatbots and gaming platforms.

While the Online Safety Act brought in strong protections, there is growing agreement that more needs to be done. The contributions to this consultation will determine how the government will decide what that looks like.

Many parents and campaign groups have called for an outright ban on social media for under-16s. Others, including children’s charities, have warned that a blanket ban could drive children towards less regulated corners of the internet or leave teenagers unprepared when they do come online. 

The consultation therefore looks beyond a ban and covers a full range of options, from curfews, to the impact of chatbots and gaming. It also asks the questions about how any new rules would work in practice to ensure they are effective.

Key questions include whether there should be a minimum age for social media, and if so, what age would be right, and whether platforms should be required to switch off addictive features that keep children hooked late into the night - like infinite scrolling and autoplay.

It will also examine whether mandatory overnight curfews would help children sleep better, if children should be able to use AI chatbots without restriction and how age verification enforcement should be strengthened.

Technology Secretary Liz Kendall said: "We know parents everywhere are grappling with how much screen time their children should have, when they should give them a phone, what they are seeing online, and the impact all of this is having.

"This is why we’re asking children and parents to take part in this landmark consultation on how young people can thrive in an age of rapid technological change."