I have received a significant amount of correspondence recently from parents and carers about the impact of social media on children.
I share those concerns and recognise the very real anxieties families have about how smartphones and social media are affecting young people. Childhood should be a time for learning, friendship, and confidence-building, not constant comparison, addictive design features or exposure to content that young people are simply not ready to handle.It is for that reason I support raising the minimum age for access to social media to 16. This is a proportionate, sensible step that would give parents and schools much-needed backing, whilst setting clear and age-appropriate boundaries in the digital world, just as we do in other areas of life. It is not about banning technology or turning back the clock, but instead about putting children’s wellbeing first and recognising what the evidence now tells us about online harms.
I am pleased that Conservatives have already tabled an amendment in the House of Lords to give effect to this approach as part of the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill. I will continue to support efforts across Parliament to ensure that legislation reflects the best interests of children and gives families the support they deserve.
