BRITISH LAWMAKERS BLOCK SOCIAL MEDIA BAN FOR CHILDREN UNDER 16.(PHOTO).

 British lawmakers block social media ban for children under 16

British MPs have rejected proposals to ban children under 16 from using social media, defeating an amendment to the children’s wellbeing and schools bill by a 307-173 vote. The measure had been added by the House of Lords to legislation originally passed in January.

The proposed ban was supported by Conservative peers, who argued that parents face an “impossible position” in protecting children from online harm. Conservatives described the situation as an “emergency,” noting surveys showing that 40% of children are exposed to explicit content on smartphones during school hours. Many Labour MPs refused to back the government’s attempt to defeat the amendment, with more than 100 abstaining.

During the debate, MP Sadak Al-Hassan compared social media to addictive drugs, saying that substances with similar effects would be heavily regulated or made illegal. Children’s advocacy groups warned that a ban could push young users toward the dark web, which is harder to regulate.

An alternative plan proposed by Labour’s education minister, Olivia Bailey, calls for a consultation to determine whether a minimum age and restrictions on addictive features like autoplay would be effective. Under the plan, Science Secretary Liz Kendall would have the authority to limit or ban children from social media and chatbots, restrict harmful or addictive features, limit VPN use, and raise the legal age of digital consent from 13.

The debate follows international moves on the issue. Australia implemented a ban for under-16s in December, while France passed a bill banning under-15s that still requires Senate approval. Other countries, including Spain, Germany, Indonesia, and Malaysia, are considering similar bans, and Denmark, Slovenia, and Greece are exploring raising the minimum age to 15.