A coalition of 60 Labour parliamentarians have written directly to the Prime Minister, pressing him to back a suggested prohibition on social media access for under-16s, ahead of a parliamentary vote in the the upper chamber this week.
The signatories, including committee heads, ex-ministers and members from across the party's spectrum, are looking to apply pressure on the administration. This comes as mounting pressure for the UK to follow the lead of Australia, which implemented a comparable prohibition recently.
While Starmer has said he remains open to the idea, legislators within the House of Lords are attempting to bring the matter to a head by means of an proposed change to the current schools bill. This amendment would mandate the implementation of a age restriction one year of the legislation passing.
“Throughout the communities we represent, we encounter the same concerns: children are worried and distressed, and struggling to concentrate on learning. They are failing to develop the necessary skills needed to flourish.”
The communication, coordinated by Labour MP Fred Thomas, further argues that “Globally, governments are acknowledging the scale of this crisis and implementing measures.” It notes current or planned legislation in countries like France, Norway, New Zealand, Greece and Denmark.
“We believe the burden must be shifted to technology platforms, not parents, to prevent access by minors,” the MPs write. “We would support a framework akin to Australia’s that obligates companies to take meaningful steps to enforce age limits.”
This demonstration of support in the Commons adds further pressure on the Prime Minister. While he has previously expressed scepticism about the workability of a ban, he recently told MPs he was theoretically open to the proposal.
Nevertheless, recently, government figures have highlighted concerns that a ban could force children toward less-regulated online spaces. They have insisted on the need to gather more data from the rollout in Australia before deciding on a UK version.
“In principle, Keir is for a ban. We can all see the dangers and are anxious about what is happening to the mental health of the young,” stated an associate. “But there are still major challenges to overcome with execution. We need to take our time and make sure we implement it correctly.”
The Prime Minister's approach will face a direct test this week when lords vote on the proposed change by Conservative peer John Nash. This amendment to the children's wellbeing bill proposes setting an minimum age within 12 months the law is passed.
While the Labour leadership has not announced its voting intention on the amendment, several Labour peers are expected to support it despite any instructions from whips.
Among them is ex-parliamentarian Luciana Berger, who has supported Lord Nash's amendment. She commented: “The proposal for increasing the social media age limit enjoys widespread backing – nationally and inside the Labour party. Social media is causing severe damage to children and we must act now to protect them.”
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