Scarborough and Whitby MP Alison Hume has voiced her strong support for the Government's upcoming ban on social media services for children under the age of sixteen.
The Member of Parliament for Scarborough and Whitby, Alison Hume, has confirmed her support for the Government’s decision to ban social media platforms from offering services to under-sixteens.
She has described the move as a necessary and welcome step that will protect children and offer vital support to families across the constituency.
The newly announced measures are designed to introduce a baseline for online safety. They aim to prevent young people from accessing social media platforms while simultaneously driving a wider cultural shift in how young people engage with technology.
Scheduled to come into force next spring, the changes will apply to major platforms such as Snapchat, TikTok, YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, and X, as well as various gaming sites. The approach uses a model similar to the one recently implemented by Australia.
However, educational platforms, music streaming sites, and messaging services such as WhatsApp and Signal will not be affected. This exemption ensures that under-sixteens can still safely contact their friends and family members.
Ms Hume, who is a mother of three, launched a survey earlier this year to canvass opinion on the issue of social media within her Scarborough and Whitby constituency. This local research ran alongside a wider national consultation.
Having reviewed the evidence gathered from her constituents, Alison Hume said:
"This is a decisive and landmark moment. For too long, families have been left to manage the risks of the online world on their own. I am so pleased that the government has listened and listened hard. I support this action to put children’s wellbeing first and support parents because, despite being given numerous opportunities to take it themselves first, tech companies have failed to act."
In addition to the primary social media ban, new safeguards are being planned to block other potentially harmful features for under-sixteens. These include restrictions on livestreaming and removing the ability for strangers to contact children online.
Ministers are also exploring further protective measures. These could include overnight curfews and limits on 'doomscrolling', with more details expected shortly regarding how robust age-checking procedures will be implemented.
Additional protections are set to apply to emerging technologies. For instance, 'romantic companion' chatbots, which are designed to simulate intimate relationships, will be strictly restricted to adults aged eighteen and over.
The proposals form part of a wider government programme intended to support children’s wellbeing and development. This includes plans for increased access to sport and creative activities both inside and outside of school environments.
Alison Hume added:
"The online world can bring many benefits for children and young people but we must also balance that against the risks, which is exactly what this plan does."
The Technology Secretary, Liz Kendall, said:
"Today we take a bold and significant step, towards creating a safer, healthier life online, for our children and future generations. Tech companies have had countless opportunities to keep children safe, yet they have failed to act. That is why we are a taking power away from the tech giants and putting it back in parents’ hands. My driving force has always been to give every child, from every background, the best possible start in life. That is what these regulations will deliver."
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