Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of social media use on loneliness and social isolation among children and young people.

On 2 March, the government published the ‘Growing up in the Online World’ consultation, accompanied by a National Conversation. The consultation received over 116,000 responses, including 14,000 from children. As part of the National Conversation, Ministers and officials also met children and young people, as well as organisations which represent children, to make sure children and young people’s voices were heard.

On 15 June, the government announced a package of measures to support young people to connect and thrive offline. The government is continuing to strengthen wider support for children, including access to youth services and enrichment activities in schools and beyond the classroom, backed by funding through the national youth strategy. Our approach will reduce serious harms while preserving safe, positive online spaces to help address social isolation and improve access to learning resources.