Kemi Badenoch says Tories would ban under-16s from social media | Politics | News | EUROtoday

Kemi Badenoch mentioned a Conservative authorities would ban under-16s from social media in an effort to cease youngsters spending hours on “addictive” websites. The Tory chief vowed to introduce age limits for social media apps ought to her get together win the subsequent basic election.

She argued youngsters shouldn’t be deserted to the “wild west” of the web and known as for larger safety for kids. The mother-of-three advised the BBC’s Sunday With Laura Kuenssberg programme that platforms have been taking advantage of youngsters’s “anxiety” and “distraction” and have been “designed to be addictive”.

The Conservatives mentioned tech corporations, comparable to TikTok and Snapchat, can be required to make use of age checks that don’t depend on authorities digital ID.

It comes after lecturers’ union the NASUWT mentioned the Government ought to usher in laws that might make massive tech platforms forestall youngsters from accessing their platforms. In Australia, a social media ban for under-16s got here into drive in December.

Mrs Badenoch mentioned: “What we want to see is common sense – protection for children and freedom for adults. We want to give parents some understanding that the Government understands what they’re going through. So we want to bring in age limits.”

After her interview, Andy Burnham, the Labour mayor of Greater Manchester, wrote on X: “I find myself agreeing with a lot of what Kemi Badenoch is saying about children and social media. It seems to me parents would welcome a cross-party consensus around much bolder action.”

The NASUWT surveyed 5,800 trainer members in 2025 and located that about 4 in 5 (81%) reported a rise within the variety of pupils exhibiting violent and abusive behaviour.

Nearly three in 5 (59%) of respondents to the identical survey mentioned they believed social media was one of many driving elements behind deteriorating behaviour. In a separate ballot of 300 members, the NASUWT discovered 89% mentioned they’d assist a statutory social media ban for under-16s.

Lord Nash, former Schools Minister, mentioned: “I strongly welcome Kemi Badenoch’s bold move to put children first. Raising the age limit for social media now has backing from across the political spectrum, including Labour and Liberal Democrat parliamentarians, the NEU and the NASUWT.

“The evidence is overwhelming and the political support is there. The Government should back my amendment and begin to reverse catastrophic harm to a generation of children.”

A Government spokesperson mentioned: “We support headteachers to take the necessary steps to prevent disruption in our schools – backed by our guidance, the vast majority already restrict the use of phones in the school day, so they do not disrupt learning.

“Through the Online Safety Act, we have taken some of the boldest steps anywhere in the world to ensure children have age-appropriate experiences online, mandating that social media companies protect under-18s from harmful content.

“We are striking the right balance: protecting children from harm while ensuring they can benefit safely from the digital world.”