Over recent months, the conversation in the UK about children and social media has shifted from “discussion” to decisive political movement. Concern is no longer just about parental preference, it’s now being debated as a serious wellbeing and safeguarding issue in Parliament, in schools, and across public life.
What’s just happened in Parliament – the latest update
In a major development reported by the BBC, peers in the House of Lords voted strongly in favour of an amendment that would ban social media for under-16s as part of the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill. This follows international models – notably Australia – that have already moved to restrict under-16 access.
Although the amendment does not yet become law, the bill now returns to the House of Commons for further consideration. The scale of support in the Lords shows momentum is building and the political consensus on the need for action is strengthening. Government ministers have also signalled they intend to consider a range of measures, from raising age verification standards to potentially adopting a formal minimum age with enforcement.
This combination of strong cross-bench support for a ban and current government consultation plans, reflects a broader public understanding that the status quo is failing many young children.
Why restricting social media for under-16s makes sense
Social media platforms are not neutral tools, they are designed to capture attention, often through endless scrolls, notifications, algorithmic feeds and features that make it hard for children to disengage. For young people whose brains are still developing, this can contribute to:
- Heightened anxiety and stress
- Disrupted sleep patterns
- Increased exposure to harmful or inappropriate content
- Social comparison and emotional vulnerability
A minimum age, whether via stronger age checks or a formal ban, does something important: it resets the default. It gives families permission to slow things down, removes the pressure to conform, and creates space for healthier phone habits long before children enter adult digital spaces.
Pressure is growing – and parents are being mobilised
While Parliament debates policy, a powerful grassroots movement is actively increasing the pressure for change, not just through commentary, but through coordinated action.
One of the most influential voices in this space is Smartphone Free Childhood. Made up of parents, clinicians, educators and child-development specialists, and they aren’t simply observing events from the sidelines. Through its Raise the Age campaign, it is actively encouraging parents and supporters to write to their MPs, adding direct political pressure at the very moment the under-16s social media debate is unfolding in Parliament. This growing wave of letters and local engagement is helping ensure that children’s wellbeing remains firmly on the political agenda, and that decision-makers hear directly from families living with the consequences of inaction.
Smartphone Free Childhood recognises a practical reality: most children still need a phone, even if they don’t need a smartphone. On its Alternatives page, the movement explicitly recommends safer options, and ParentShield is one of those.
That recommendation matters.
It reinforces a core principle shared by parents, educators and campaigners alike:
the issue isn’t connectivity itself – it’s giving children adult connectivity before they’re ready.
By recommending ParentShield, Smartphone Free Childhood is pointing families towards a safer middle ground – one where children can walk home safely, attend clubs, and stay in touch with family, without being immersed in the internet with platforms and pressures designed for adults.
And it’s not just social media
Yes, social platforms amplify harm at scale, but they are not the only way children experience pressure, bullying, manipulation, or unwanted contact.
Because the uncomfortable truth is this:
many of the same risks happen through ordinary calls and text messages.
Bullying doesn’t need an app.
Grooming doesn’t require a social media profile.
Anxiety doesn’t only come from algorithms.
It can start with:
- A new number texting late at night
- SMS or voicemail bullying that feels impossible to escape
- A call from someone a child doesn’t recognise
- Pressure, coercion, or manipulation delivered one message at a time
These are real-world safeguarding issues, and they exist even if a child has no social media accounts at all.
Why network-level protection matters
ParentShield was built differently – a mobile network designed around children from the start.
ParentShield gives parents visibility and control over:
- Who their child is communicating with
- When communication happens
- What patterns might indicate a safeguarding concern
Parents receive alerts when a child contacts – or is contacted by – a new number. Word Alerts flag potentially worrying language in SMS. Ultra-Secure Mode can restrict communication to trusted contacts only.
