🚨BREAKING: Keir Starmer announces social media ban for under-16s
“Politicians and tech companies have let children down for too long. But in a headlong rush to make up for lost time, the government is going down the wrong path.”
“The British people have always, rightly, rejected mandatory ID schemes. Now the government is imposing digital ID checkpoints for the internet. This is not like Challenge 25 for alcohol. We will all face a “papers, please” demand to get online.”
“Big Brother Watch would welcome evidence-led policies that offer real protection for young people. Instead, the government is mimicking much of Australia’s failed policy. A policy their own eSafety Commissioner admits has failed to keep children off social media.”
“Worse, these proposals will force the public to trust their IDs to companies with serious track records of leaks and hacks.”
“Targeted interventions that hold platforms to account, enforce existing laws, and give parents the tools they need are the answer. Evidence from Australia shows age bans don’t keep children off social media, they just remove the safety measures platforms put in place for them”
- Jack Coulson, Head of Advocacy