Misinformation: Social Market Foundation Report

Earl of Effingham Excerpts

Thursday 11th June 2026 Lords Chamber

[The Earl of Effingham (Con)]

My Lords, it is not just about elections; social media exposes under-16s to relentless misinformation. It distorts their understanding of reality, fuels anxiety and fear, and normalises hateful or dangerous ideas. My noble friend Lord Bailey mentioned health misinformation. A ban would give children vital protection during a key developmental stage and support parents and schools in teaching critical thinking first. Yet another country, Canada, has recognised the seismic problem today. Why are the Government taking so long to act?

[Lord Leong (Lab)]

I am sure the noble Earl is very much aware of what the Government are doing. We have said that we will collate information and make a decision on banning social media. I am sure he will know that we are putting that in place, and further progress will be made very soon. Let me be absolutely clear: we have to make a distinction between misinformation and disinformation, and sometimes there is interchangeability between the two descriptions. We have to be absolutely sure about this. Sometimes, we may not like what is published, but it is not disinformation. We have to ensure that we get the category right.