House of Lords votes for social media minimum age – Labour government resists

A majority in the British House of Lords voted this Wednesday for a minimum age of 16 for social media services. However, the vote is a thorn in the side of the British Labour government. It has therefore announced its intention to stop the current initiative and conduct its own consultations. Since there are also proponents of a minimum age within the governing party, the maneuver is considered risky.

Opponents within their own ranks

As the BBC reports, opposition members in the House of Lords voted by 261 to 150 in favor of a ban as part of an amendment to the government's legislative proposal ("Children's Wellbeing and Schools Bill"). The amendment was supported by Conservative, Liberal Democrat, and crossbench members of the House of Lords, as well as two Labour MPs. However, support among Labour MPs is not limited to these two. Over 60 Labour MPs recently joined the Conservative Party in calling for a ban on social media for young people, demanding a similar step. Prime Minister Keir Starmer, however, considers the proposal difficult to implement and fears that "some children would be pushed into the dark web." The government therefore now intends to overturn the amendment in the House of Commons, which it dominates.

Former Conservative Schools Minister Lord Nash, who voted for the amendment, sharply criticized the government's approach. He considers the planned consultation a delaying tactic, despite "overwhelming" evidence of the harm caused by social media use. In his view, a ban would give young people "a few more years to mature" before they use social media platforms.

According to the amendment supported by members of the House of Lords, the government would have one year to decide which platforms should be blocked for under-16s. Companies would then be obliged to introduce "highly effective" age verification measures to monitor access.

Australia as a role model

In 2025, the British media regulator (Office of Communications, Ofcom) had already published new guidelines for protecting children online, which included safer feeds or effective age verification for so-called "high-risk services." The implementation of the minimum age for social media in Australia has meanwhile increased pressure in the United Kingdom to demand stricter and more far-reaching rules.

(kbe)