Starmer vows to act on social media after meeting bereaved parents

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has pledged decisive action on social media's impact on children, as a government consultation on potential restrictions closes after receiving over 80,000 submissions [1]. The consultation, which closed Tuesday, considered measures including app curfews, stronger age checks, and a potential ban on social media for under-16s [1]. Technology Secretary Liz Kendall confirmed new measures for under-16s will be introduced by the end of 2026 [1]. However, bereaved parents who met with Starmer expressed skepticism. "Am I confident? Definitely not," said Ellen Roome, whose 14-year-old son died in 2022 [1]. Another parent stated, "We do not want this group to grow any further" [1]. Former health secretary Wes Streeting, who recently resigned from Starmer's cabinet, has publicly called for a ban, accusing regulators of being "asleep at the wheel" and comparing tech platforms to big tobacco [1]. Starmer's government, which began on 5 July 2024 after a landslide election victory, has faced public discontent over other policies, with his net approval rating falling to -30% by January 2025 [2]. His political approach has shifted from the left-wing platform he campaigned on to a position considered closer to the political centre [3]. The consultation gathered views from 42,410 parents and 13,890 young people [1]. Police leaders have advocated for banning specific "high-risk" features like private messaging for under-16s, rather than entire platforms [1]. Trade body TechUK also supports "regulating by features, not by platform" [1]. Meta Platforms, Inc., owner of Facebook and Instagram, is a key industry player, with advertising accounting for 97.8% of its 2023 revenue [9]. The Academy of Medical Royal Colleges has called for doctors to routinely ask young patients about social media use, likening the issue to historic public health challenges like smoking [1]. This framing echoes a recent California lawsuit, described as a "big tobacco" moment for tech, where a young woman successfully sued Meta and YouTube over childhood social media addiction [1].