The UK House of Lords has backed a ban on social media for under-16s.
There have been growing calls from campaigners for the ban, with those in support arguing that parents are in ‘an impossible position’ about the online harms their children are being exposed to.
Former schools minister, Lord Nash, argued that the evidence is ‘overwhelming’ in favour of a ban, with support ranging from “medical professionals to our police and national intelligence community, from our teachers to hundreds of thousands of parents.”
It is understood that peers voted 261 to 150, majority 111, in support of Lord Nash’s amendment to the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill.
Earlier in the week, Technology Secretary Liz Kendall announced a three-month consultation on the advantages and disadvantages of a ban, as well as possible overnight curfews and measures to prevent “doom-scrolling.”
With peers backing the ban, it will move to the government, which will have the chance to overturn it in the House of Commons.
According to a report by the UK Metro, almost four in 10 children aged 3-5 use social media in the UK.
