UK parents quizzed about social media ban for kids

The UK is seeking the views of parents and children on whether under-16s should be banned from accessing social media and possible restrictions on gaming platforms and artificial intelligence chatbots.

Governments around the world are trying to limit the impact of social media and games on children’s mental health and sleep; parents feel that platforms built to maximize the time young users spend online are being left behind.

Australia banned social media for under-16s in December, and other governments, including the UK, are considering similar moves.

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has said he wants to introduce new powers to protect children beyond the two-and-a-half-year-old Online Safety Act.

The three-month consultation, which starts on Monday, will consider measures ranging from a possible minimum age limit for social media to a ban on addictive design features and an overnight curfew for those under 16.

“We know parents everywhere are grappling with how much screen time their children should be spending, when they should give them a phone, what they’re seeing online and the impact of all this,” Technology Minister Liz Kendall said in a statement. he said.

“That’s 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.”

The government said it would run pilot studies with families and young people to examine how potential social media restrictions might work.

It will also examine whether children can have unlimited interactions with artificial intelligence chatbots and how age verification rules should be strengthened.

Britain is preparing stricter rules requiring tech companies to remove non-consensual intimate images within 48 hours or face fines of up to 10 percent of global revenue.