Is another Labour U-turn on the cards? Keir Starmer gives clearest indication that Labour is considering a ban on under 16s using social media

Sir Keir Starmer has given the clearest sign that Labor is considering banning social media use by under-16s; This will mark another significant U-turn by the Government.

The Prime Minister said he did not rule out introducing an Australian-style ban on young people using social media under pressure from those in the background, adding: ‘All options are on the table.’

This comes despite Sir Keir previously opposing such a ban and follows Kemi Badenoch’s promise that the Conservatives would block under-16s from social media if they win the next election.

Pressure is mounting on the Government to follow Australia, which last month became the first country to ban social media for young people, and MPs are privately pressing Labor to follow suit.

Wes Streeting is calling for ‘action’ to be taken against children’s use of social media amid concerns social media is harming ‘young people’s life chances’.

The Health Secretary warned that the technology had been ‘released without a full understanding of the consequences’ and when asked whether he supported a ban on under-16s, Mr Streeting told Sky News: ‘I am absolutely in favor of action in this area.’

The issue is expected to come to a head next week as the House of Lords is expected to vote on the Conservative Party’s amendment to the child welfare and schools bill, which would prevent under-16s from accessing social media.

If it passes, a Commons showdown will follow. Calls on Labor MPs not to rebel and support the amendment fuel speculation that the Government may act first.

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After indicating he was open to reconsidering his opposition earlier this week, Sir Keir said today: ‘We need to better protect children from social media.

‘We’re looking at what’s happening in Australia, but all options are on the table, all options are on the table in terms of how we can put more protection in place on social media, whether it’s under 16s or not.

‘Or something I’m very concerned about, under fives and screen time. And we’re the first government to take action on this, because children who spend so much time on screens are coming to school at the age of four in reception.’

The Prime Minister added: ‘So we will be taking further action to protect children.’

It is understood there are ‘discussions’ within the government about a ban, but there are concerns among some that the Australian ban is not as simple as expected.

Officials also point out that the NSPCC and the suicide prevention charity Molly Rose Foundation oppose the blanket ban, which says banning social media for under-16s is ‘not the answer’.

The NSPCC warned that a ban would ‘be a blind approach to a complex problem’, while Molly Rose expressed concern about the ‘unintended consequences of bans’, arguing that it risked ‘harming unregulated areas rather than making products safe for children’.

Andy Burrows, chief executive of the charity, said: ‘The government must respond to calls for decisive action from parents by fixing regulation with evidence-based solutions; ‘Not simplistic, populist calls for social media bans that risk doing more harm than good.’

But a source said the Government was ‘not running away’ from a fight with big tech, pointing to this week’s clash with X over Grok AI, which Downing Street claimed was a ‘vindication’.

A Government spokesman said: ‘Through the Online Safety Act we have taken some of the boldest steps to ensure children anywhere in the world have age-appropriate experiences online, requiring social media companies to protect children from harmful content.

‘Social media bans are not our current policy but we are considering all options based on the evidence. ‘We strike the right balance: protecting children from harm while ensuring they can enjoy the digital world safely.’