Social Media Ban for Under-16s

Baroness Barran Excerpts

Tuesday 16th June 2026 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Lloyd of Effra (Lab)]

The noble Lord—who has been a consistent advocate of ensuring that our children are safe online throughout the many months that I have been here, and he has played a very important role in doing so—is right that enforcement is absolutely key. He is also right to highlight that many other jurisdictions are looking at this and moving in this way. That will all be part of setting the new social norm and ensuring that not just this generation but the next generation grows up in a world in which social media operate very differently.

[Baroness Barran (Con)]

My Lords, I echo other noble Lords in thanking the Government for their announcement and the important progress that has been made, of course acknowledging that my noble friend Lord Nash in particular encouraged some of that movement. I want to press the Minister on the exception for educational services. She will be aware that there are concerns that edtech is often described as the Wild West and that just because a service claims to be educational does not actually make it educational. Can she reassure the House that, in particular, some of the apps that children have for homework on their phones will not automatically be seen as meeting the educational exemption? If she cannot clarify that today, maybe she could be very kind and write to me.