The UK’s lawmakers on Wednesday voted in favour of banning under-16s from social media, following a similar ban in Australia.
Britain’s Prime Minister said he has made a decision and pledged to protect children from the misuse of social media. Still, his government wants to wait for the results of a consultation due this summer before legislating.
There have been calls across the opposition and the governing Labour Party in the UK to follow Australia’s lead, where a social media ban took effect on December 10, 2025.
The amendment from opposition Conservative lawmaker John Nash passed with 261 votes to 150 in the House of Lords, co‑sponsored by a Labour and a Liberal Democrat peer.
“Tonight, peers put our children’s future first. His vote begins the process of stopping the catastrophic harm that social media is inflicting on a generation,” he said.
Public figures and big stars, including actor Hugh Grant, urged the government to back the proposal, saying that parents alone cannot access social media and cannot set parental controls for children.
Before the vote, Downing Street said the government would not accept the amendment, which now goes to the Labour-controlled lower House of Commons. More than 60 Labour MPs have urged Starmer to back a ban.
There has been widespread action from child-protection groups stating that such a ban can create a false sense of security for children, and they would not be aware of the happenings and the usage of the most essential mode of communication.
A YouGov poll in December found 74 per cent of Britons supported a ban. The Online Safety Act requires secure age verification for harmful content.
