Restrict social media access for children under the age of 16

Background

We call on the government to introduce legislation that prohibits social media platforms from allowing children under the age of 16 to create or maintain accounts. Tech companies must be legally required to implement robust, privacy-preserving age-verification processes to enforce this limit.

Additional details

Evidence links early social media use to rising rates of youth anxiety, depression, and sleep deprivation. Algorithms are deliberately engineered to be addictive, exploiting developing brains. Under-16s face severe risks online, including cyberbullying, harmful content exposure, and grooming, which platforms consistently fail to prevent.A clear age limit of 16 will safeguard childhood development, reduce peer pressure, and support parents in keeping their children safe.