Social media ban for under-16s 'on the table' in UK

A imaginable prohibition connected societal media for under-16s successful the UK is "on the table", the exertion caput Peter Kyle has told the BBC.

Speaking connected the Today programme, connected BBC Radio 4, helium said helium would "do what it takes" to support radical and successful peculiar children harmless online.

He besides announced further probe into the interaction tech specified arsenic smartphones and societal media was having connected young people, claiming determination was presently "no firm, peer-reviewed evidence".

Kyle has spelt retired his priorities successful what helium called a "letter of strategical intent" to the regulator Ofcom, which is assuming extra powers nether the Online Safety Act (OSA).

Campaign radical the Molly Rose Foundation welcomed what it called an "important marker for Ofcom to beryllium bolder" but said that should not obscure the information that the OSA needed to beryllium strengthened.

"Our probe is clear. The nationalist and parents backmost an updated Act that embeds an overarching work of attraction connected tech firms, and the Prime Minister indispensable enactment rapidly and decisively to present this unfinished job," it said successful a station connected X.

The thought of legally restricting societal media for young radical has travel into the spotlight aft Australia's authorities said it would present authorities to prohibition children nether 16 from societal media.

Asked whether the UK would travel suit, Kyle said "everything is connected the array with me", but said helium wanted to spot much grounds first.

He said helium was besides focused connected making definite the powers contained successful the OSA, which is coming into effect adjacent year, were utilized "assertively" by the regulator.

"I conscionable privation to marque definite that Ofcom knows that authorities expects them to beryllium used," helium told the BBC.

The OSA demands tech firms instrumentality much work for the contented connected their platforms to support children from immoderate ineligible but harmful material.

Kyle said helium wanted to spot grounds that tech firms were delivering suitable property verification for users, and that the assemblage was moving towards having "safety baked successful from the outset."

Social media and messaging platforms could look important fines perchance measured successful the billions if they bash not comply with the OSA.

It has already led to a scope of companies introducing important changes to however they enactment - with Instagram creating caller teen accounts successful September, and Roblox banning young children from messaging others successful November.

Nonetheless, critics person consistently said the authorities needs to bash more.

In February, the parent of the murdered teen Brianna Ghey told the BBC it did not spell acold enough.

As good arsenic restricting societal media for young people, immoderate suggest their usage of smartphones should besides beryllium much tightly controlled.

Parliament is considering a backstage members bill which examines however to marque children's integer lives safer.

It volition perceive grounds from a assemblage called Healthcare Professionals for Safer Screens, which wants curbs connected smartphones.

"When I created this group, it was precise overmuch pushing connected an unfastened door," said laminitis and GP Rebecca Foljambe.

"There's truthful galore wellness professionals who are disquieted astir this."

The authorities has stopped abbreviated of banning smartphones successful schools but has issued guidance to guarantee that each schools instrumentality effectual smartphone-free restrictions.

Peter Kyle told the BBC successful October helium believed the conflict implicit telephone usage successful schools had been won.