British government reviews age limit for social media, pressure from parliament
The British House of Lords could vote as early as Wednesday to allow social media use only from the age of 16. The government has promised a consultation.
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In Great Britain, the debate over a ban on social media has gained further momentum ahead of a highly anticipated parliamentary vote. The government has pledged to consider a possible minimum age. On Wednesday, the House of Lords is set to vote on a motion from within the Conservative Party that would establish a minimum age of 16, the Guardian reports. This would then need to be implemented after one year. According to the newspaper, it is assumed that a number of Labour Party MPs will also vote in favor, although the government has reportedly not shown much enthusiasm. Prime Minister Keir Starmer, in turn, considers the proposal difficult to enforce and fears that “some children would be pushed into the dark web.”
Government under pressure
Shortly before the vote, Technology Minister Liz Kendall also announced that the government intends to conduct a consultation on the use of social media by children and young people. At the same time, the responsible authority for school inspections has been instructed to control the handling of mobile phones in schools. It is assumed that these will then be banned from classrooms and schoolyards. The aim is to determine the appropriate minimum age for social media use. Furthermore, the government wants to find out how users' ages can be correctly verified and how addictive techniques can be removed from applications. Parents are to be better supported.
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In the announcement, the minister also refers to Australia, where children and young people under 16 have been prohibited from using social media for a month. The platforms concerned have therefore removed or blocked almost five million accounts, and the responsible supervisory authority has expressed satisfaction with the implementation. A delegation from the British government is now also to travel to Australia to personally inform themselves about the measures and their consequences. Only on the weekend did the Guardian report that more than 60 Labour MPs have urged the Prime Minister from their party to follow Australia's example. Whether the now-announced “consultation” will suffice remains to be seen.
(mho)
