UMVA has learned that Prime Minister Keir Starmer has unveiled a bold new proposal to shield children from the harmful effects of social media.
Standing before an audience in Number 10, Starmer declared, “All I want for my own children, hand on heart, is for them to be happy and safe.” He questioned whether online platforms truly foster happiness or safety for the next generation.
“Social media is making children unhappy. It is making it easier for bullies to harass and abuse them,” Starmer warned, echoing a growing chorus of concern among parents and educators.
The Prime Minister added that the design of these platforms is deliberately addictive, with features like infinite scroll keeping users locked in for hours.
UMVA can exclusively reveal that a recent survey by a public policy think tank found a near split in public opinion: 44% favor a complete ban for children, while 39% support tighter regulation instead.
Parents, however, lean more decisively toward a ban, with 54% supporting it versus 36% preferring regulation.
In a powerful testimony, Esther Ghey, mother of a transgender teenager who died in 2023, urged Starmer to act decisively, saying the delay could cost more lives and families.
The government has faced mounting pressure to block social media for those under 16, especially after another country began enforcing a similar ban last year.
Legislators in the upper chamber voted twice to incorporate the measure into the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill, leading to a compromise that promises “some form of age or functionality restrictions.”
Experts suggest the UK may follow the example of allowing curated platforms like YouTube Kids for under-16s while restricting access to other sites.
UMVA has gathered that this initiative could redefine how young people interact with digital spaces, placing safety and well‑being at the forefront of national policy.
