Labour MPs have urged the UK prime minister to introduce a ban on social media access for under-16s.
The 61 MPs in an open letter to Keir Starmer said past administrations had not done much to “protect young people from unregulated, addictive social media platforms”.
They referred him to Australia’s decision to introduce a ban in December and noted that a number of other countries are also examining comparable measures.
“All options are on the table,” the PM said in response to the move.
The letter signed by committee chairs and past front benchers reads: “Across our constituencies, we hear the same message: children are anxious, unhappy and unable to focus on learning. They are not building the social skills needed to thrive, nor having the experience that will prepare them for adulthood.”
The MPs stated that governments in several countries are responding to the crisis, citing Australia’s recent ban and noting that Denmark, France, Norway, New Zealand and Greece are expected to consider similar measures.
The UK “risks being left behind” on the issue, they added.
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The letter, said to be organised by Plymouth Moor View MP Fred Thomas, was signed by education select committee chair Helen Hayes, former whip Vicky Foxcroft, former education minister Catherine McKinnell, and former shadow cabinet minister Richard Burgon, among others.
The House of Lords is expected to vote this week on a cross-party amendment that would introduce a ban on social media use by under-16s, similar to a measure recently implemented in Australia.
The amendment is supported by Baroness Benjamin, a Liberal Democrat peer and former children’s television presenter; Lord Nash, a former Conservative education minister; Baroness Berger, a Labour peer; and Baroness Cass, an independent peer and paediatrician.
Separately, the Liberal Democrats have proposed an amendment that would implement age ratings on social media platforms, similar to those used in films, restricting access based on the type of content available.
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