London: The UK government has launched a nationwide consultation to explore stricter online safety measures for children, including the possibility of introducing an Australian-style ban on social media use for minors.
In a statement, the government said it would examine international evidence on a wide range of proposals aimed at protecting young people online. Among the key ideas under review are whether a social media ban for children would be effective, how such a policy could be enforced, and whether the current digital age of consent should be raised.
As part of the process, UK ministers are expected to visit Australia, which last month became the first country in the world to formally ban social media access for children under the age of 16. The UK hopes to learn from Australia’s experience and assess whether similar measures could work within the British legal and technological framework.
The consultation will also consider additional safeguards, including introducing phone curfews to reduce excessive screen time and restricting design features considered potentially addictive, such as ‘infinite scrolling’ and ‘streak’ rewards used by many popular platforms.
The government’s move comes with growing global concern over online harms, particularly following recent controversy involving AI-generated content. This month, an international backlash erupted after reports claimed that Elon Musk’s Grok AI chatbot had generated non-consensual sexual images, including content involving children.
The UK has already announced plans to ban artificial intelligence tools designed to create nudified images and is working on measures to prevent children from taking, sharing or viewing explicit images on their devices.
Secretary of State for Technology Liz Kendall remarked that, “We are determined to ensure technology enriches children’s lives, not harms them – and to give every child the childhood they deserve.” While no specific age limit has yet been proposed, the government confirmed it is considering a ban for children ‘under a certain age’ and reviewing whether the current digital age of consent of 13 is too low.
The issue has also sparked political debate. Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch has said her party would introduce a ban on social media for under-16s if it returned to power. Kemi Badenoch criticised Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s Labour government for what she described as delays and a lack of decisive action, arguing that the consultation process showed a failure of leadership.
As public concern grows over children’s safety online, the consultation is expected to attract strong engagement from parents, educators, technology experts and advocacy groups across the UK.
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