Labour urges more young people to have say in online safety amid calls for social media ban

Peter Stevens
Sun, 19 Apr 2026 05:50:52 +0000

Labour has urged more young people to have a say in their online safety amid calls for children under 16 to be banned from social media.

Technology Secretary Liz Kendall has made the calls for children to submit to their Growing Up In The Online World Government consultation.

Despite more than 50,000 responses to the consultation, she said only 6,000 children have weighed in.

The plea comes ahead of the Childhood in the Age of AI summit on Monday, where Ms Kendall and the NSPCC - a leading children's safety charity - will meet young people to discuss how artificial intelligence has shaped their childhood.

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Ms Kendall said: "What you tell us will shape what happens next.

"We’re listening, and we will act."

The event will be held at Wilton Park in Sussex and include policymakers, tech industry representatives, and online safety campaigners.

Sir Keir Starmer held a meeting with technology giants Meta, Snap, Google, and TikTok on Thursday as the Government seeks to keep children safe in a rapidly-evolving online environment.

Sir Keir said: "Things can’t go on like this, they must change because right now social media is putting our children at risk.

"In a world in which children are protected, even if that means access is restricted, that is preferable to a world where harm is the price of participation."

A social media ban for under-16s was shot down in the Commons on Wednesday after an amendment to the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill was introduced by Lord John Nash.

It is the second time MPs rejected the amendment, despite pressure building for online safety measures to be implemented rapidly.

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Lord Nash said a US court cases, which ruled Google and Meta had intentionally made addictive platforms, were "game changers" for his case for a ban.

Ellen Roome, who believes her 14-year-old son Jools Sweeney died as a result of an online challenge has criticised the Government for not implementing the ban.

Earlier this week, she said: "The Prime Minister says he will take all necessary steps to protect children – except the one step that is actually in his power: acting now to raise the age limit for harmful social media to 16."

The Government is looking for families in the Midlands, North West, Yorkshire, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland specifically to respond to the consultation.

Ms Kendall said: "I want every young person to hear this clearly: we are determined to keep you safe online and prepare you for the future. It’s not a question of if we will act but how.

"This week, the Prime Minister and I told tech companies that children’s safety must come first. No excuses, and no delays.

"But we want to understand what life online really feels like for you, so we can make it better. What you tell us will shape what happens next. We’re listening, and we will act."

Since Thursday's meeting, the Prime Minister has urged top social media executives around the world to use their full resources to help young people.

Sir Keir added: "I am determined we will build a better future for our children, and look forward to working with you on this.

"I do think this can be done. I think the question is not whether it is done, the question is how it is done."

The Growing Up In The Online World consultation concludes on May 26 and the Government has pledged to move quickly based on its findings.