Ministers are consulting on banning social media for under-16s in the UK – just weeks after a ban in Australia came into force.
The governmentS consultation will look at various options, including increasing the digital age of consent and restricting potentially addictive app design features such as “streaks” and “infinite scrolling”.
There have been growing calls for Sir Keir starmer to take action, and the announcement comes ahead of the Lords voting on a Conservative amendment to Labour’s Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill, which would force social media platforms to stop under-16s from using their platforms within a year of it passing.
The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) said it will also be taking immediate action on children’s social media use.
this would include directing media regulator Ofsted to examine schools’ mobile phone policies and how effectively they are put into practice during inspections.
The government will also produce screen time guidance for parents of children aged between five and 16. It said guidance for parents of under-fives will be published in April.
The government will seek views from parents and young people and the government will respond in the summer.
An Australian inspiration?
Ministers will visit Australia as part of the consultation.
A social media ban for under-16s was implemented there in December. Ten of the biggest social media platforms in Australia were ordered to bring in the ban or face fines of up to AU$49.5m (£25m).
The companies were required to find ways to close existing accounts for under-16s and prevent new ones from being created.
The law is designed to protect children from potential mental health risks, inappropriate content and cyber-bullying.
Which platforms are affected by ban in Australia?
The age-restricted platforms include:
• Facebook
• Instagram
• Snapchat
• Threads
• TikTok
• Twitch
• X
• YouTube
• Kick
More generally, age restrictions apply to social media platforms that meet three specific conditions, unless the Australian government determines they should be excluded.
The conditions are:
• The sole purpose, or a significant purpose, of the service is to enable online social interaction between two or more users
• The service allows users to link to, or interact with, some or all of the other end-users
• The service allows users to post material on the service
Platforms are responsible for determining whether they fit the criteria and doing their own legal assessments.
But the Australian government has indicated the list could change as new products are launched, and young users switch to alternatives.
Teenager. File image: iStock
how do social media companies comply with ban?
Australia’s Online Safety Amendment Act 2024 requires companies to take “reasonable steps” to prevent underage users from signing up and using their platform; they could face fines of up to $49.5m (£25m) for failing to comply.
Of the initial 10 banned platforms, all but Elon Musk’s X have said they will comply using age inference.This involves guessing a person’s age from their online activity – or age estimation, which is usually based on a selfie.
They may also check with uploaded identification documents or linked bank account details.
But the australian government has said requesting ID cannot be the only method to determine someone’s age.
Meta – the owner of Facebook, Instagram, and Threads - said in submissions to the Australian government last year that the legislation was “a missed opportunity and overlooks the practical reality of age assurance technology as well as the views of a majority of mental health and youth safety organisations in the country”.
The company, chaired by Mark Zuckerberg, began to exclude suspected young children from its platforms a week before the ban was implemented, but previously admitted that it expects issues with its technology
Is the move controversial?
Prior to the passing of the ban in Australia’s parliament last year, more than 140 national and international academics with expertise in fields related to technology and child welfare signed an open letter to Prime Minister Anthony Albanese opposing a social media age limit as “too blunt an instrument to address risks effectively”.
In Sydney, two 15-year-olds have sued the Australian government over the ban.
One of the claimants, Noah Jones, who turns 16 in August, has argued the ban will deny 2.6 million young Australians of a right to freedom of political interaction implied in Australia’s constitution.
As Meta did in its submissions to the Australian government, several other platforms also hit out at the move.
Google and YouTube Australia’s public policy senior manager, Rachel Lord, said the site will automatically sign out users who are deemed to be under 16.
But, she said, they can still view some YouTube videos while signed out, and parents will “lose their ability to supervise their teen or tween’s account” and use controls such as blocking channels.
In response, Australia’s communications minister Anika Wells said it was “outright weird that YouTube is always at pains to remind us all how unsafe their platform is in a logged out state”.
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Concerns are growing regarding the safety of products reaching consumers, prompting calls for a shift towards prioritizing safety during the design phase. Experts argue that proactively incorporating safety measures into product development can considerably reduce risks and protect the public.
The Need for “Safety by Design”
Table of Contents
“Safety by design” is a proactive approach to product development that prioritizes hazard identification and risk mitigation throughout the entire lifecycle of a product,from initial concept to manufacturing and disposal. This contrasts with traditional methods that often address safety concerns *after* a product is already in use and potential problems have emerged. The goal is to eliminate or minimize risks before they can cause harm, rather than relying on reactive measures like recalls or warnings.
Historically, product safety regulations have largely focused on setting minimum standards and responding to incidents. While these regulations are crucial, they frequently enough lag behind innovation and don’t fully address emerging risks.A shift to safety by design aims to anticipate potential hazards and build safety into the core of product creation.
For example, the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is currently considering a proposed rule to update the safety standard for consumer fireworks, reflecting a move towards more preventative safety measures.
Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC)
The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is the primary federal agency responsible for protecting the public from unreasonable risks of injury or death associated with consumer products. established in 1972, the CPSC develops product safety standards, investigates incidents, and issues recalls when necessary. the agency’s authority stems from the Federal Hazardous Substances Act and the Consumer Product Safety Act.
In fiscal year 2023, the CPSC received approximately 29,000 reports of product-related injuries, according to the CPSC’s FY23 Annual Report. This highlights the ongoing need for improved product safety measures.
European Union’s Eco-design Directive
The European Union’s Eco-design Directive,while primarily focused on environmental sustainability,also incorporates safety considerations into product design. It sets minimum requirements for energy efficiency and other environmental aspects, but also addresses safety risks associated with product use. This demonstrates an integrated approach to product regulation that considers both environmental and safety impacts.
The directive has been revised several times, with the latest revision in 2009 expanding its scope to include a wider range of products.
Industry Standards Organizations
Organizations like UL (Underwriters Laboratories) and Intertek play a crucial role in developing and enforcing safety standards for various products. These organizations conduct autonomous testing and certification to ensure that products meet established safety requirements. Manufacturers frequently enough seek certification from these organizations to demonstrate their commitment to safety and gain consumer trust.
Such as, UL standards are widely recognized in the electrical and electronic industries, and compliance with UL standards is frequently enough required by retailers and regulatory agencies.
breaking News & Current Status (as of 2026/01/20 02:58:30)
As of January 20,2026,there have been no major legislative changes in the United states regarding mandatory “safety by design” principles. Tho, the CPSC continues to emphasize proactive safety measures in its strategic planning and enforcement activities.Several states, including California and New York, are considering legislation that would incentivize or require manufacturers to adopt safety by design principles for certain product categories, notably those impacting children’s health. The EU is also actively reviewing its Eco-design Directive to further integrate safety considerations. Recent recalls involving lithium-ion batteries in e-bikes and scooters have further fueled the debate about the need for more robust safety standards and proactive design measures. The
