Government vows to bring in under-16 social media restrictions by end of year

The UK government will implement new restrictions on social media access for children under 16 by the end of the year, Technology Secretary Liz Kendall has confirmed as a major public consultation closes [1]. The consultation, which received 70,000 submissions, considered measures including app curfews, stronger age checks, and a potential outright ban for under-16s [1]. Options also include disabling features like auto-play and infinite scroll [1]. "The question isn't whether we're going to act - we will," Kendall stated [1]. Campaigners are divided, with some bereaved families demanding swift action. Ellen Roome, whose son died in 2022, argues social media is a "faulty product" that should be restricted until proven safe [1]. Other groups, including the Academy of Medical Royal Colleges, have called for action, comparing the threat to children's health to that of smoking [1]. However, some child safety charities advocate for enforcing existing laws and aligning tech platforms with film classification standards rather than implementing bans [1]. The government's approach may extend to platforms like Roblox and Discord, which are not covered by similar restrictions in Australia [1]. Reports from Australia have raised concerns about the effectiveness of age-blocking laws [1]. Globally, social media platforms face increasing regulatory scrutiny over harmful content. In 2026, France raided the offices of X, formerly Twitter, and issued legal actions over failures to remove illegal material [2][5]. The platform, owned by X Corp., has faced significant controversy regarding hate speech and misinformation since its acquisition by Elon Musk [5]. Meta Platforms, which owns Facebook and Instagram, has suggested age verification should be handled at the device level to block underage downloads [1]. Kendall has vowed to proceed despite potential pushback from large technology companies [1]. A formal government response to the consultation is expected this summer [1].