Members of the UK Parliament have rejected a proposal to ban social media use for children under the age of 16.
MPs in the House of Commons voted 307 to 173 against an amendment to the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill that would have introduced the restriction. The proposal had been put forward by Conservative peer John Nash.
The vote followed growing calls from campaigners and some public figures to limit young people’s access to social media due to concerns about online harm.
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Among those supporting tighter restrictions was actor Hugh Grant, who had backed the push for a legal ban earlier this year.
Despite the Commons vote rejecting the measure, the debate over limiting children’s access to social media is likely to continue.
Government Gains Powers to Introduce Restrictions
While MPs blocked the outright ban, they supported an alternative government proposal that could still allow restrictions to be introduced later.
Under the amendment, the UK science secretary, Liz Kendall, would be given powers to restrict or potentially ban social media access for children of certain ages in the future.
The powers could also apply to online chatbots and other digital services.
Explaining the approach in Parliament, education minister Olivia Bailey said the government wanted flexibility while it gathered further evidence.
The secretary of state could also be allowed to limit the use of virtual private networks by children, restrict addictive platform features such as autoplay, and potentially change the UK’s digital consent age.
Concerns Over Online Safety
Supporters of the proposed ban argued that parents were struggling to protect children from harmful online content.
Advocates said families were being placed in an “impossible position” when it comes to monitoring their children’s online activity.
However, some organisations warned that a blanket ban could have unintended consequences.
The child protection charity NSPCC said such restrictions might push teenagers toward unregulated or hidden parts of the internet, potentially increasing risks rather than reducing them.
The government said it is now launching a consultation to gather views from parents, experts and campaign groups before deciding on further action.
The consultation will consider whether social media platforms should introduce minimum age requirements and whether certain design features that encourage prolonged use should be disabled for younger users.
Political Debate Continues
The proposal sparked divisions among MPs.
John McDonnell, the Labour MP for Hayes and Harlington, voted against the government and supported the Lords amendment calling for the ban.
Meanwhile, more than 100 Labour MPs chose to abstain during the vote.
Munira Wilson, the Liberal Democrats’ spokesperson for education and children, criticised the government’s approach.
She said families needed stronger guarantees that action would be taken rather than further delays.
Wider Child Protection Measures
The legislation will now return to the House of Lords for further debate before it can become law.
If ultimately approved by both chambers, the bill would introduce several new child protection measures.
Among them is a requirement for local councils to assess a child’s home environment within 15 days if they are placed on a register of children not attending school.
The policy forms part of the government’s response to the murder of 10-year-old Sara Sharif in Woking in 2023, a case that prompted widespread calls for stronger safeguards for vulnerable children.
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Adapted by ASEAN Now · Source · 09.03 2026
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