A group of 60 Labour parliamentarians have written directly to Keir Starmer, urging him to back a suggested prohibition on social media access for under-16s, ahead of a parliamentary vote in the the Lords this week.
Broad Support Emerges
The MPs backing the letter, comprising committee heads, past shadow ministers and representatives from the entire Labour spectrum, are seeking to apply pressure on the government. This follows mounting pressure for the UK to adopt a similar policy of the Australian government, which enacted a comparable prohibition recently.
Although Starmer has said he remains receptive to a ban, members of the House of Lords are looking to bring the matter to a head through an legislative addition to the current schools bill. This amendment would force the introduction of a ban within 12 months of the bill becoming law.
“Across our constituencies, we are told the same story: children are anxious, unhappy, and struggling to concentrate on learning. They are lacking the social skills needed to succeed.”
Worldwide Moves
The communication, spearheaded by Labour MP Fred Thomas, further argues that “Around the world, governments are recognising the scale of this issue and taking action.” It points to existing or pending legislation in countries like New Zealand, Greece, Denmark, France and Norway.
“We believe the burden must be shifted to technology platforms, not parents, to block access by minors,” the MPs write. “We would support a system similar to Australia’s that requires companies to take concrete measures to enforce age limits.”
Implementation Concerns
This demonstration of support within the lower house adds further scrutiny on the Prime Minister. Although he has earlier voiced reservations about the workability of a ban, he recently told MPs he was open in principle to the idea.
Nevertheless, in recent days, government figures have highlighted apprehensions that a ban could unintentionally drive children toward the dark web. They argue on the need to see more evidence from the Australian policy before committing to a UK version.
“In principle, Keir is supportive of a ban. We can all see the risks and are concerned about what is happening to children and teenagers,” stated an associate. “But there are still significant hurdles to overcome with putting it into practice. We need to move cautiously and make sure we do this properly.”
Parliamentary Test
The Prime Minister's approach will face a practical test this week when members of the upper house vote on the proposed change by Conservative peer John Nash. This amendment to the schools bill proposes enacting an minimum age within a year the act is approved.
Although the Labour leadership has not yet declared its official position on the amendment, several Labour peers are likely to support it irrespective of any guidance from party managers.
Among them is former MP Luciana Berger, who has supported Lord Nash's amendment. She commented: “The idea for increasing the social media age limit enjoys widespread backing – across the country and across the Labour party. Social media is causing severe damage to children and we must move swiftly to safeguard them.”
