It's not anti-tech, it's about keeping childhoods off Snapchat, TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, X and YouTube
I back the ban on social media for under-16s, says Blackpool North and Fleetwood MP Lorraine Beavers.
Last week marked Carers Week, and while I met so many amazing carers in Parliament and across the constituency, I wanted to give a special shout out to SENDS 4 Dad.
This brilliant group brought the voices of male carers for children and young people with SEND into Parliament, and I cannot thank them enough. We talked honestly about the challenges they face: the limited leave available to unpaid carers, the pressure on families, the way male carers can too often feel unheard, and how that can create another barrier to getting the right support.
As discussions continue about how to improve SEND provision, I will be contacting the group again, alongside speaking to families in Blackpool North and Fleetwood, to make sure I hear as many perspectives as possible. The system must be shaped by those who live with it every day.
Social media
This week, the Government has announced plans to ban social media for under-16s. Keeping children safe online is becoming harder. Addictive algorithms, livestreaming, strangers being able to contact children, and harmful content can all affect children’s development, mental health and physical health.
That is why I have supported calls for stronger action. This is not about being anti-technology. It is about saying that childhood should not be handed over to giant tech companies whose platforms are designed to keep children scrolling for as long as possible.
The ban is expected to cover platforms such as Snapchat, TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, X and YouTube. It will also go further by tackling some of the most dangerous features. Under-16s would be blocked from livestreaming and from communicating with strangers on social media and some gaming platforms.
So-called “romantic companion” chatbots would also be restricted, because children should not be pushed into unhealthy or inappropriate relationships with artificial intelligence.
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The Government has said that messaging apps such as WhatsApp and Signal are not intended to be included, because children still need safe ways to communicate with parents, carers and friends. That distinction matters. We need to protect children from harmful platforms without cutting them off from family life, friendship and support.
There will now be more consultation on the detail, including how age verification will work and how Ofcom will enforce the rules. It is hoped the ban will be in place by spring 2027.
As an MP, I have met parents whose children took their own lives after social media played a devastating role in the decline of their mental health. Their grief is impossible to forget. No law can bring those children back, and no law will solve every problem overnight. But we have a duty to act.
Social media should not overshadow our children’s lives, shape their choices, expose them to harmful material, or make them feel worthless. Our children deserve freedom, safety and a childhood. I will always stand on their side.