Member

The need for decisive action is beyond doubt, but action alone is not enough. We have a responsibility to ensure that what we put in place is effective and future- proof. That is why I have tabled Amendment 108. Rather than a blanket ban, we propose a risk-based model that considers the risk of platforms according to the actual harm that they pose. Think of how we approach film classification or toy safety: we do not ban all films for children, rather we rate them; we do not ban all toys, rather we accept the risks. This amendment applies the same principle to online platforms. Under our proposals, providers must submit a proposed minimum age of access as part of the children’s risk assessment, with a default expectation of 16 years for social media services—a ban by another name—because enough is enough. We must take action and put a line in the sand.