Will the UK government act to curb social media and smartphones for children?

Pressure is mounting on Sir Keir Starmer and his ministers to take decisive action on limiting children’s use of smartphones and social media.

The government is facing calls to change the law on two fronts – by bringing in a statutory ban on mobile phones in schools, and introducing a social media ban for children under 16.

Australia became the first country in the world to ban social media for under-16s last month, sparking debate over whether we should have a similar ban in the UK.

Many teachers, parents, opposition parties, Labour MPs, and children themselves, want more restrictions on phone and social media use.

Starmer’s government does not currently support a ban on social media for children – or a ban on phones in schools – and has faced some accusations of being out of touch with public and political opinion.

Could we see an Australia-style social media ban?

Despite their current official opposition to a social media ban, the UK government says it is “looking closely” at how the social media ban goes in Australia, insisting “we’ll see what the evidence tells us”.

Rather than focusing on bans, ministers say they have brought in strict new restrictions under the Online Safety Act to make sure children have “appropriate experiences online.”

The act means that social media companies have to take steps to stop under-18s from seeing harmful content.

From Westminster to Washington DC – our political experts are across all the latest key talking points. Listen to the latest episode below…

The government insists it is striking the right balance between protecting children from harm while ensuring they benefit from the digital world, but many argue they need to go further.

There are suggestions of a Cabinet split over the issue of children and smartphones – with Wes Streeting, who is seen as a frontrunner to replace Starmer in the event of a leadership challenge, understood to support a social media ban.

The Sunday Times has reported that Technology Secretary Liz Kendall is considering whether to bring in a social media curfew for children, with a 10pm cut off or a two-hour limit.

Starmer’s government seems taking inspiration from the Australian Labour government on a number of fronts, and just before Christmas Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson went to visit Australia, where it’s likely the social media ban will have come up.

“We know there’s more to be done”: Business Secretary Peter Kyle on calls for a social media ban

It was announced on Monday that the government will publish advice to parents on screen time for children under 5, because of concerns about excessive use damaging language development.

The advice will be released in April, with new government research showing that children with a screen time of around five hours a day learn “significantly” fewer words than those with lower screen times.

Cross-party support for a ban growing

Politicians from across the political spectrum have joined calls for both bans on social media and phones in schools.

Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch announced on Sunday her party would ban social media for under-16s, and they have long been calling for a statutory ban on phones in schools.

“What we are seeing is a lot of children spending so many hours a day on platforms that are profiting from their anxiety, from their distraction, and they are actually designed to be addictive,” Badenoch said.

“What we want to see is common sense – protection for children, and freedom for adults.”

Her calls were echoed by Labour leadership hopeful Andy Burnham, who wrote on X: “I find myself agreeing with a lot of what Kemi Badenoch is saying about children and social media. It seems to me parents would welcome a cross-party consensus around much bolder action.”

One of the biggest teachers’ unions the NASUWT has also come out in support of a ban – general secretary Matt Wrack said: “Teachers are dealing every day with the fallout of a social media landscape not originally designed and not suitable for children.

“Social media companies have shown time and again that they will not act responsibly unless they are forced to do so.

“If we are serious about safeguarding children, protecting their mental health and combating the behaviour crisis in our schools, then a statutory ban for under‑16s must happen urgently.”

Will the government ban phones in schools?

The Labour government issued guidance last year urging headteachers to ban phones in schools, but it’s not a legal ban and ministers say they have “no plans to legislate.”

While the guidance says schools must “prohibit the use of mobile phones throughout the school day”, it makes clear “it is for school leaders to develop and implement a policy.”

The government has repeatedly pointed to research from the Children’s Commissioner showing 90% of secondary schools already have their own phone bans, but some have questioned how effectively they are being enforced.

Many headteachers have called for a statutory ban to make it easier to manage, and also to help placate some parents who are unhappy about their child not having access to a phone at school.

In November last year 250 education leaders signed a letter calling for a full statutory ban on smartphones in schools.

Earlier last year then Labour backbench MP Josh MacAlister brought forward a private members’ bill which called for mobile phone bans in schools, but that was later watered down by the government despite widespread cross-party backing.

A measure to raise the age of internet adulthood from 13 to 16 was also removed from the bill, with the watered-down form just committing the government to deciding within a year if they would like to go ahead with such a move.

Peers in the House of Lords have tabled an amendment to the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill which would require a phone ban in schools and is reportedly expected to pass – which could create a challenge for MPs in the Commons, many of whom support a statutory ban despite the government’s position.