MPs reject Lords-backed social media ban for a second time

MPs have rejected calls to ban children from social media by default for a second time.

By a majority of 256 to 150, 106, they sided with the Government on its plan to tackle social media-related harm affecting children.

Under the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill, ministers will gain flexible power to restrict children’s social media use with curfews, scrolling limits and restrictions on location sharing.

The government may also choose to block people under the age of 16 from accessing certain platforms.

A consultation meeting, which ends next month, has been held to help ministers decide what action they should take.

Former Conservative minister Lord Nash had proposed that children be banned by default from using social media platforms deemed harmful with a 12-month window, and his peers initially agreed.

MPs in the House of Commons, where the government has a majority, voted to reject it in favor of flexible powers last month, before the Lords insisted on a default ban.

But as part of the process of agreeing the final text of the bill, sometimes known as ping pong, MPs agreed to once again support the Government’s position.

Education minister Olivia Bailey told the House of Commons: “Instead of the narrow change proposed in the House of Lords, our consultations allow us to consider a much wider range of services and features.”

Conservative shadow education minister Laura Trott said: “I will continue to fight against the bill until the government bans social media.”