Social Media Ban for Under-16s

Lord Young of Acton Excerpts

Tuesday 16th June 2026 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Lloyd of Effra (Lab)]

I thank the noble Baroness for raising two important points. We have been looking at the evidence from Australia and on age assurance. There are differences in the UK approach. Australia takes a reasonable-steps approach to age assurance, which contrasts with the UK approach of highly effective age assurance. We think the UK position has the advantage in having potentially more effective enforcement. We are seeing the development of other age-assurance technologies all the time. We announced very recently that children should not be able to take, share or view nude images: this is device-level technology. I underline, however, that the onus will be on social media companies.

[Lord Young of Acton (Con)]

My Lords, I declare an interest as the director of the Free Speech Union. I have read through the DSIT document published yesterday, Growing Up in the Online World: Progress Statement, but I could not find a single reference to Sections 15 or 16 of the Online Safety Act: namely, the duty not to remove or restrict content of democratic importance or journalistic content. Those duties, due to be activated I believe in July before the plan is put into effect, apply to all users, not just adults. How is the plan compatible with those duties? I know the plan includes some restrictions for 16 and 17 year-olds. Can the Minister assure the House that content of democratic importance and journalistic content will not be restricted for 16 and 17 year-olds, which is particularly important given that the Government intend to grant them the vote?

[Baroness Lloyd of Effra (Lab)]

Under-16s will still be able to access the internet and the news in that way. Social media is not the only source of news, nor is it always the most reliable or accurate source. We continue to work with the Department for Culture, Media and Sport to ensure that younger audiences can find and access high-quality, culturally relevant programming and content. We are working to strengthen access to trusted news across the UK as part of the local media action plan, because it is very important that young people can engage with high-quality local and national journalism.